After stating over the weekend that his Manchester City side are suffering from winners’ fatigue and the weight of expectations, Pep Guardiola has now asked journalists and fans to be calm.
Manchester City are second in the Premier League behind Tottenham Hotspur with 21 points out of 27 thanks to seven wins and two losses from their first nine games. While this is not a poor start by any standards, Guardiola’s team have struggled to take charge of many games this season.
This led to him confessing that his team is dealing with the weight of expectations, having come off a treble-winning season. He made that statement after their 2-1 win over Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League last weekend.
His team is currently gearing up to face Young Boys in the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League. The matchday 3 encounter is Guardiola’s chance to grab another three points as he targets a clean sweep of his group. However. Journalists, echoing fan sentiments, are still questioning the Spaniard about his team’s state of mind after their incredible successes in his six years as manager of Manchester City.
“We compete really well in all the games, honestly,” said Guardiola in response to the journalists at his pre-match press conference before their Champions League clash with Young Boys. “Otherwise we would not be close to Spurs right now in the Premier League and six points here [in Champions League]. But everyone is different.”
“When you start the season after a poor season with no qualification for Europe, you come into it giving everything.”
“The mentality for our players, we would not be in the position we are in the Premier League and with six points are winning in Leipzig, if we did not have the right mentality to compete so far.”
“But it’s just October, let’s be calm. John Stones is back after two months, Jack is getting better.”
“I am satisfied with the behaviour in the training sessions and the commitment of the players in training and during the games.”
Guardiola also spoke about the relief that came with finally winning the Champions League title with Manchester City. “My friends in Manchester know they ask me every press conference, ‘When are you going to win it?'”, he said. “Now it disappears.”
“It’s nice and we enjoy it for the moment. Travelling all around the world showing the Champions League everywhere but now we try to arrive in the last 16 knowing how difficult this competition is.”
“We were at the same level the previous seasons and didn’t win, and then last season we win it.”
“We have to try to go through and perform as best as possible to keep this competition.”
He and his team are hoping to become the first team since Real Madrid to win the competition in successive seasons.
