Manchester City’s players and staff are not entitled to any performance bonuses from this year’s Club World Cup, according to manager Pep Guardiola, who expressed his views on Friday.
The Premier League champions have had a season to forget under Guardiola’s guidance, currently sitting 22 points behind Liverpool, while their Champions League journey was abruptly ended in the early knockout stages.
Having been eliminated from the League Cup in the fourth round, City are left with the FA Cup as their only realistic chance of securing domestic silverware this season. They are set to face Bournemouth away in the quarter-finals this Sunday.
The Club World Cup boasts a total prize pool of $1 billion, with the winners of the 32-team tournament—taking place from June 14th to July 13th in the United States—set to claim up to $125 million. However, Guardiola has stated that he does not wish to receive any financial reward.
“We don’t deserve a bonus this season. If we win, it will go to the club,” Guardiola shared with journalists.
“The management, support staff, and players do not merit it. Not even a watch!“
Currently positioned fifth in the league, Guardiola is also focused on securing qualification for the Champions League next season, admitting that this campaign has served as a wake-up call for him. He is typically accustomed to competing for multiple titles at this stage.
“You learn both from triumphs and setbacks. Experiences repeat themselves, and if you’re not learning from them, they will keep occurring,” he reflected.
“This is valuable for me, and I hope the club learns as well. When I mentioned in the past that qualifying for the Champions League was a significant achievement, they didn’t take me seriously, but now they do.”
Guardiola’s immediate goal is to extend the club’s record by reaching a seventh consecutive FA Cup semi-final, which requires overcoming Bournemouth—a team that previously triumphed over his side at the Vitality Stadium earlier this season.
“They have a distinct style that fits their players and concepts very well,” Guardiola noted.
“Each team has its unique approach, and Bournemouth executes theirs exceptionally. Some teams are more direct, while others focus more on crosses.”
Manchester City also continues to await a ruling related to alleged financial rule breaches within the Premier League, with potential outcomes including fines, points deductions, or even the revocation of titles.
Despite the ongoing speculation regarding possible sanctions against the club, Guardiola affirmed that he and his squad remain unaffected by these discussions.
“We’ve been confronting this for over a year now,” he stated. “Nothing will alter over one week, two weeks, or even three or four weeks.”
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
Fanpage: SportArena.com.au.
LiveScore – Live Sports Results & Odds.
