Washington: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has acknowledged the possibility of his team missing out on UEFA Champions League qualification for the upcoming season. The Premier League champions, currently enduring a slump in form, find themselves perilously close to dropping out of the league’s top-four race, which grants automatic entry to Europe’s elite tournament.
City Struggles in Premier League Standings
City has slipped to seventh place in the Premier League, trailing leaders Liverpool by a daunting 12 points. Over the last eight games, the reigning champions have managed just one victory, a dismal run that has raised serious concerns about their ability to secure a Champions League berth.
Guardiola reflected on the precarious situation, saying, “People laughed when I mentioned that earlier. ‘Making it to the Champions League is not a big success,’ they stated. However, I am aware of that since it occurs with clubs in our nation. They were dominant for many years and then failed to qualify for the Champions League for many years after that.”
Historic Qualification Streak at Risk
Manchester City has qualified for the Champions League for 14 consecutive seasons, a streak surpassed only by English clubs Manchester United (1996–2014) and Arsenal (1998–2017). However, their current standing threatens to end this remarkable run.
“The team that has participated in the Champions League over the previous several years is Manchester City. Of course we are in danger now,” Guardiola admitted.
Upcoming Fixtures Critical
City faces a challenging festive schedule, with matches against Everton on Boxing Day, Leicester on December 29, and West Ham on January 4. These games are crucial for the team to regain momentum and keep their Champions League hopes alive.
Guardiola Remains Optimistic
Despite the team’s struggles, Guardiola remains confident in his ability to navigate the crisis. “No, I’m not worried,” he said when asked if the current situation could spiral further. “Naturally, there are questions about if a choice is bad or whether we need to do this or that action, but I’m very optimistic. During a news conference before the game, the Catalan emphasized, ‘In the past, we have made the ordinary extraordinary.’”
Guardiola also stressed that winning consistently is an extraordinary achievement and cautioned against taking success for granted. “At the outset of the season, many began to predict that City would win the Premier League in November. People mistakenly believe that winning is commonplace while in fact it is an unusual event,” he noted.
Reflecting on Lessons
Guardiola concluded by emphasizing the importance of learning from adversity. “You learn from every circumstance in life and become aware of what you might have done better and what you could do better going forward.”
With City’s qualification streak on the line, the coming weeks will determine whether Guardiola’s men can recover their form and maintain their presence on Europe’s biggest stage.
