PEP GUARDIOLA has told his Manchester City stars to prove to him they can be winners by lifting the FA Cup.
By RICHARD TANNER
Manchester City go into their semi-final with Arsenal at Wembley tomorrow with Guardiola admitting his team need to lift some silverware to give them the confidence to go on and win bigger prizes, as well as underlining the progress he believes they are making under his command.
“It is important to achieve a final. I would like to win the FA Cup so my players realise how good they are,” he said. “For all clubs titles are important. Winning titles gives you the self-confidence to say, ‘We’re good enough to compete’.
“When you win, the next time it will be a little easier. This is a fantastic club and team, I’m so proud of what we’ve done and how we’ve overcome bad moments. But you are judged on titles.”
Guardiola conceded a while ago the League title was out of City’s reach – they are 11 points adrift to leaders Chelsea – and they still face a battle with Liverpool and neighbours Manchester United to secure a top-four place and qualification for next season’s Champions League.
To compound the disappointment of their fade-out in the championship race, City made an unexpected early exit in the last-16 round of the Champions League and also went out of the League Cup in the fourth round.
It leaves Guardiola needing to win the FA Cup to preserve his proud record of winning a trophy in each of his previous seven seasons as a manager – four at Barcelona and three at Bayern Munich.
And he admits City’s Abu Dhabi hierarchy will not be happy with how his first campaign in English football has panned out, even if they go on to lift the Cup.
The Spaniard says it is up to billionaire owner Sheikh Mansour and his right-hand man, club chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, to decide at the end of the season to sack him or back him.
Guardiola is happy with City’s development this season but asked if the owners will share his view, he said: “I don’t think they will be happy. The expectations of the club are as high as possible and are to win all the titles. And we were not able to do that.
“So if they are not happy I can completely understand. And we could have done better in terms of the results and even in the way we played because we wanted to be in title the race and Champions League until the end.
“Despite the fact that I am happy with what we’ve done, it is still not enough. But they have to decide. They are my bosses. The chairman and the owner have to decide whatever they want.”
Brazilian youngster Gabriel Jesus could make a shock return on the bench tomorrow after two months out with a metatarsal injury but defender John Stones has been ruled out.
By RICHARD TANNER
“It is important to achieve a final. I would like to win the FA Cup so my players realise how good they are,” he said. “For all clubs titles are important. Winning titles gives you the self-confidence to say, ‘We’re good enough to compete’.
“When you win, the next time it will be a little easier. This is a fantastic club and team, I’m so proud of what we’ve done and how we’ve overcome bad moments. But you are judged on titles.”
Guardiola conceded a while ago the League title was out of City’s reach – they are 11 points adrift to leaders Chelsea – and they still face a battle with Liverpool and neighbours Manchester United to secure a top-four place and qualification for next season’s Champions League.
To compound the disappointment of their fade-out in the championship race, City made an unexpected early exit in the last-16 round of the Champions League and also went out of the League Cup in the fourth round.
It leaves Guardiola needing to win the FA Cup to preserve his proud record of winning a trophy in each of his previous seven seasons as a manager – four at Barcelona and three at Bayern Munich.
And he admits City’s Abu Dhabi hierarchy will not be happy with how his first campaign in English football has panned out, even if they go on to lift the Cup.
The Spaniard says it is up to billionaire owner Sheikh Mansour and his right-hand man, club chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, to decide at the end of the season to sack him or back him.
Guardiola is happy with City’s development this season but asked if the owners will share his view, he said: “I don’t think they will be happy. The expectations of the club are as high as possible and are to win all the titles. And we were not able to do that.
“So if they are not happy I can completely understand. And we could have done better in terms of the results and even in the way we played because we wanted to be in title the race and Champions League until the end.
“Despite the fact that I am happy with what we’ve done, it is still not enough. But they have to decide. They are my bosses. The chairman and the owner have to decide whatever they want.”
Brazilian youngster Gabriel Jesus could make a shock return on the bench tomorrow after two months out with a metatarsal injury but defender John Stones has been ruled out.
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