Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has warned that the club’s reign in the UEFA Champions League could come to an unexpected end soon. With the Citizens languishing in seventh place in the Premier League, their 14-year streak of consecutive appearances in Europe’s elite competition is hanging by a thread.
“When I said before, people laughed,” Pep Guardiola lamented. “They said, ‘qualifying for the Champions League is not a big success’. But I know it because it happens with clubs in this country. They were dominant for many years and after they were many years not qualifying for the Champions League.”
Guardiola’s concerns are well-founded. Manchester City’s recent form has been dismal, with four points from their last eight games. This alarming slump has seen them fall behind a host of unexpected contenders, including Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, Aston Villa, Newcastle, Fulham, and Brighton.
“The one team that has been in the Champions League for the past years has been Manchester City,” Guardiola acknowledged. “Now we are at risk, of course we are. Definitely.”
City’s predicament echoes the struggles of other English giants. Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea once enjoyed an era of consistent top-four finishes, but have since experienced periods of Champions League exile. United, for instance, have missed out on the competition five times in the past 11 seasons.
“There are a lot of contenders,” Guardiola emphasized. “For every club it is so important and if we are not winning games, we will be out. If we don’t qualify it is because we don’t deserve it, because we were not prepared and because we had a lot of problems and didn’t solve them.”
Pep Guardiola’s immediate focus lies on a crucial upcoming period. City face Everton, Leicester City, and West Ham United in their nex premier League three matches, all of whom are currently in the bottom half of the table. These fixtures present a crucial opportunity for the Citizens to revive their season and reignite their Champions League aspirations.
