Matheus Nunes Declares Champions League Qualification is Manchester City’s ‘Premier League Trophy’ This Season

Matheus Nunes has declared that securing qualification for the Champions League would feel like winning the “Premier League trophy” for Manchester City following a season that has not met their usual high standards.

The Portuguese midfielder netted a dramatic late winner against Aston Villa on Tuesday, propelling Pep Guardiola’s side into third place on the ladder, four points clear of seventh-placed Villa.

With Liverpool edging closer to claiming the Premier League title and Arsenal comfortably positioned in second, five teams are engaged in a fierce contest for the three remaining spots in next season’s top-tier European competition.

Nottingham Forest, Newcastle, and Chelsea are also vying for a place in the top five.

City, who aimed for a fifth consecutive league title at the beginning of the season, experienced a significant dip in form from late October.

However, they have a chance to finish the season on a positive note, as they prepare for an FA Cup semi-final against Forest at Wembley, shortly following their crucial victory over Unai Emery’s squad.

“For us now, qualifying for the Champions League feels like our Premier League trophy,” Nunes stated after scoring his inaugural league goal for the club during his second season.

“It’s incredibly important for us, for the club, the players, and our mentality.”

The 26-year-old acknowledged that while qualifying for the Champions League for the 15th consecutive season and achieving FA Cup success is significant, it doesn’t equate to a successful campaign overall.

“The expectations of this club are far greater,” he remarked. “We recognise that we haven’t lived up to the standards we aspire to.”

“Yet, this is our current reality, and we must accept it. We need to approach it as if it’s the Champions League, as if it’s the Premier League trophy.”