Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was at a press conference following Wednesday night’s 2-0 defeat by Juventus on Matchday 6 of the Champions League. He spoke in particular about his team’s difficult period and their objectives for the final 2 matches, including the trip to face Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes on January 22.
Guardiola: “We need to take a point from Paris”.
“The most difficult challenge of my career was when I was entrusted with this team and had to get good results to keep the job for a second season.
What’s happening at the moment is life, it’s a normal thing. Sometimes there are bad periods with bad results, but we’re going to keep fighting. Of course I ask myself questions, but I always ask myself questions, in good times and bad.
Our objective is to be in the play-off position. To do that, we’ll need to get a point from Paris and win the last game at home (against Bruges)”, comments relayed by L’Equipe.
Manchester City’s season was going pretty much according to plan until October 30, when they lost 2-1 to Tottenham in the League Cup. Nothing to worry about, it was a reshuffled squad. But since then, the machine has stalled: 6 defeats, 2 games and 1 win in the last 9 matches. Including 2 defeats and 1 draw in the Champions League (including the 3-3 draw against Feyenoord after leading 3-0).
Guardiola knows how to be careful. Announcing a desire to win everything could be too much. He needs to regain his confidence and secure qualification at a time when his team is in 22nd place (9th to 24th place means qualification for the play-offs).
We can appreciate that a trip to Le Parc doesn’t make him particularly optimistic, with 1 point already a positive. It’s a sign of respect and mistrust for PSG, despite their 25th place. It’s also a sign of caution on his part, of course.
In any case, this clash promises to be a tense affair between two teams who absolutely must not lose, and for whom a victory would be a great breath of fresh air. But there are a lot of games between now and then. This match will be in the back of our minds all the same. The best way to prepare for it is to keep winning.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
