Guardiola urges Man City to turn Champions League letdown into motivation

On Friday, manager Pep Guardiola expressed that Manchester City can channel the disappointment of missing out on the Champions League knockout stages into motivation for their quest to secure a place in the next edition of the tournament.

Between 2018-2024, City consistently reached at least the quarter-finals of the Champions League, but their campaign came to an abrupt halt in February after suffering a 6-3 aggregate defeat in a playoff against Real Madrid.

This season has been underwhelming for the Premier League outfit, currently sitting fifth in the table, 21 points behind league leaders Liverpool.

With Chelsea and Aston Villa just a point behind City, Guardiola’s men must perform at their peak during the closing stages of the season to secure a top-five finish and a coveted spot in the Champions League.

“Absolutely, it serves as motivation. I don’t see it as a negative to be vying for qualification for the Champions League…” Guardiola stated to the media ahead of Saturday’s away match against Everton, as well as a home clash with Villa on Tuesday.

“It’s up to us now. Matches at Goodison Park and Villa are incredibly significant. Time is not on our side. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the Champions League matches this week; they were fantastic. I miss being part of that, but I’ve accepted it.”

“In sports, there are times when you don’t perform well enough to deserve your place. I hope that next season, we can return to competing with the top European clubs and challenge them more effectively than we have this season, continuing from what we’ve accomplished over the past seven years.”

Next, City will face Everton, currently in 13th place, at Goodison Park—a match without key striker Erling Haaland and goalkeeper Ederson, who sustained a groin injury in last week’s remarkable 5-2 comeback win over Crystal Palace.

“Haaland won’t be available for the next few matches. As for Ederson, we’re uncertain about the duration of his absence,” Guardiola confirmed.

“(Manuel Akanji and Phil Foden) are back—Phil trained on Thursday, and today was his second session since Old Trafford. Manu has had two or three sessions with us, and he looks sharp.”

“(John Stones and Nathan Ake) are still not fit. They’re improving, but they aren’t ready yet.”