‘When you are at this stage, not everyone around the world wants you to win’: Pep Guardiola expects neutrals – and Man United fans – to support Inter Milan as his favoured Man City side seek Champions League glory and an historic Treble
- Manchester City face Inter Milan in the Champions League final on Saturday
- Man City could become only the second English team to win the Treble
- Pep Guardiola expects most neutrals to be routing for the Italian underdogs
Pep Guardiola has accepted that Manchester City will not be universally popular winners if they lift the Champions League this weekend.
City are one game away from completing a historic Treble, facing Inter in Istanbul on Saturday night after beating rivals Manchester United in last weekend’s FA Cup final.
Guardiola, who revealed that Kyle Walker missed Tuesday’s training session with a bad back, claimed he is unaware of how much support City will receive from other fans and clubs in England.
‘I don’t know,’ he smirked. ‘I don’t know if [Manchester] United want us to yes, win the Champions League!’
Guardiola has been strident in his views of several Premier League rivals who City believe instigated UEFA’s investigation into their finances and the subsequent European ban, which was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Pep Guardiola accepts his team will not be the choice of neutrals watching Saturday’s final
City beat Man United 2-1 in the FA Cup final to secure the second trophy of a potential Treble
Guardiola and his team tasted defeat in the 2021 Champions League final against Chelsea
The City boss added: ‘Listen, when you are at this stage, not all the people around the world wants you to win. I am sure there are a lot of people in Italy who want Inter and the others don’t. That’s football with rivalry.
‘People who like us will for sure but the other ones… it doesn’t matter if they want Inter Milan.’
Guardiola admitted that City will go into the final as favourites, as they did when losing against Chelsea in the 2021 showpiece. He has suggested that he would have picked a different team for that game in hindsight and wants his players to remain calm.
‘With our club, I’ve learnt that overexcitement doesn’t suit us,’ he said. ‘So many clubs have destroyed projects and ideas because they weren’t able to win this competition, and so many have become big clubs because they were able to win it.
‘Even if I don’t share this opinion, I understand that everything we have done through all these years, which has been a lot and very good, will make sense to others if we win this competition.
‘If we don’t win it, then things will seem to make less sense. It’s a bit unfair, but we must accept it. That’s how it is.’
