Pep Guardiola admits Man City’s legacy is on the line ahead of their bid to complete a historic Treble… as he claims other clubs have ‘destroyed projects’ by falling short in the Champions League
- Pep Guardiola knows his team’s legacy will be affected by Saturday’s final
- He admits his side must win the competition to be compared to the greats
- He feels clubs have destroyed their projects by searching for European success
Pep Guardiola claimed that rivals have ‘destroyed projects’ in search of an elusive Champions League title as Manchester City finally look to break their duck this weekend.
The City boss, who accepted that the club will not be universally popular winners should they prevail against Inter on Saturday, believes legacies are unfairly weighted towards lifting the trophy.
But he admitted that it is an unavoidable reality that City must conquer Europe if they are to be considered one of the greats.
‘So many clubs have destroyed projects and ideas because they weren’t able to win this competition,’ Guardiola said.
‘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 very good, will [only] make sense to others if we win this competition. It’s a bit unfair, but we must accept it.’
Pep Guardiola thinks clubs have ‘destroyed projects’ by chasing Champions League success
Kyle Walker missed training on Tuesday but is expected to be fit for Saturday’s final
Kyle Walker’s bad back ruled him out of Tuesday’s training session but the defender is expected to be fit for the final – one Guardiola goes into with a settled side.
‘We must accept that if we want to make a definitive step as a big club, we must win in Europe,’ Guardiola added. ‘We have to win, that’s something you can’t avoid. But the most important thing is to be there again and again.
‘With our club, I’ve learnt that overexcitement doesn’t suit us. You have to be ambitious but not too greedy. This competition has given me very, very sad moments which hurt me, which will always be in my mind, but it also gave me extremely beautiful moments.’ Guardiola suggested that he was 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!”
‘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.’
‘I understand that everything we have done through all these years will (only) make sense to others if we win this competition. It’s a bit unfair, but we must accept it.
‘We must accept that if we want to make a definitive step as a big club, we must win in Europe.’
