Pep Guardiola is determined to tackle the challenges facing Manchester City after their heavy 4-1 defeat to Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League. Despite taking an early lead with a Phil Foden goal, City suffered their third straight loss across all competitions, and Guardiola now faces the task of lifting his team ahead of their upcoming Premier League clash with Brighton.
In his post-match press conference, Guardiola remained optimistic, emphasizing the bright moments he saw in City’s performance and his commitment to driving his team forward. He also took a playful jab at Manchester United‘s new manager Ruben Amorim, who was managing Sporting Lisbon for one of his final games before moving to Old Trafford.
Reflecting on the match, Guardiola said, “We played really poorly against Bournemouth, but here, we actually played well. The only real regrets are the third and fourth goals – we didn’t need to concede those penalties. But this is what the season has brought us, and I love the challenge.” He added, “We’ll go back to Manchester and prepare for Brighton. I won’t give up, that’s for certain.”
When asked about City’s emotional stability during the match, Guardiola pointed to the team’s need to avoid unnecessary fouls in critical areas, especially in the box. He acknowledged the disappointment of the scoreline, but defended his team’s effort, stating, “When you lose 4-1, it’s easy to criticize, but I like my team. We were close to scoring a second and third goal early on, but in football, sometimes the result doesn’t reflect the effort.”
Addressing how he keeps players motivated amid losses, Guardiola said, “They know it. It’s tough to accept because we lost 4-1, but they know they played well. Right now, it’s hard to score for us, and opponents seem to find goals more easily. It happened in my first year too. That’s football. We’re still alive in all competitions, and we keep going.”
Guardiola also praised Sporting’s intensity, recognizing how they capitalized on transitions, noting, “They were really strong in transition. Once they were up 3-1, they defended deep but broke quickly on us. It’s always a challenge when teams can counter like that.”
When asked about Amorim’s future at Manchester United, Guardiola expressed cautious optimism about his rival’s new role, stating, “We’ll face him in the Premier League and maybe in the FA Cup. It’s not my main concern, though – my focus is on getting City back to form. But welcome to Ruben, and I wish him all the best.”
Guardiola was also struck by the energy from the Sporting supporters, particularly after Sporting’s goals. “The atmosphere here was special,” he said. “At 1-0 it was quiet, but once they equalized, the place came alive. Being in environments like these is what makes football so thrilling.”
As Guardiola now prepares for the match against Brighton, he remains committed to rallying City, confident that his team can turn things around.
