Pep Guardiola is staying optimistic about Manchester City’s chances this season, despite recent setbacks. Speaking ahead of their Champions League clash with Sporting CP, Guardiola admitted the team has faced significant struggles due to a wave of injuries and some disappointing results, but he remains confident City will be fighting for trophies come season’s end.
The Blues recently suffered two defeats within a few days—Tottenham knocked them out of the Carabao Cup, and Bournemouth handed them their first Premier League loss of the season. Captain Kyle Walker, still recovering from injury, revealed he returned early to support the team. Meanwhile, defenders Manu Akanji and Nathan Ake are also not fully fit but have joined the squad in Portugal.
Guardiola acknowledged the team’s challenges but emphasized the strength of their season so far. “I know our standards. We lost one game in the Premier League,” he said. “Maybe we will lose again, but we’re just two points behind a top-class Liverpool team. We’ve done decently in the Champions League, I would say.”
While City fans might expect the club to win every game by a landslide, Guardiola noted that it’s unrealistic to sustain such a high standard, especially with key players missing. “It’s more difficult because we have a lot of absences,” he explained. “Oscar [Bobb] was the best player in pre-season and we miss him a lot, Jack [Grealish] is still not fit, and Rodri, one of the best players in the world, is out for the season. We know that we’re going to struggle, and that’s fine.”
He also praised the Premier League’s growing competitiveness, which has made each game more challenging. “The middle class in the Premier League has risen unbelievably,” he added. “City, Arsenal, Liverpool, United, Newcastle, and Tottenham are top teams now, but teams like Fulham, Brentford, Wolves, and Southampton have also become very strong. Every match is tougher.”
Despite these challenges, Guardiola believes City’s performance this season has been solid and is encouraged by his players’ resilience. “I’m really impressed and happy we’re still in the mix,” he said. “Bournemouth deserved their win, but that doesn’t mean we’re bad or out of contention. It just means we have room to improve.”
As they prepare for the game against Sporting, Guardiola is urging his squad to keep pushing. “The players feel it—the quality of the team. The goal is to be in contention in the final months and fight for the titles,” he concluded.
