Pep Guardiola, in a candid admission during tough times for Manchester City, says he gets why the club might consider firing him amidst its woeful spell.
With only one triumph in 10 games after Wednesday’s 2-0 loss to Juventus, the squad lags at 22nd in the Champions League table, jeopardising their path to automatic qualification. Domestically, they’re now trailing Liverpool by eight points in the Premier League—the Reds holding a game in hand. Despite City’s unprecedented success since his 2016 arrival, this slump is new territory for Guardiola.In response to Ilkay Gundogan’s comments pinpointing a crisis of confidence and mental blocks as culprits, Guardiola dismissed this theory post-Turin defeat, instead upholding his team’s performance.Life off the pitch isn’t smooth sailing either; Guardiola confided in an exchange with ex-Brescia colleague Luca Toni on Prime Video Sport about his future, reflecting, “Do Man City send me home?
If so, I go home. What can you do in life? Life doesn’t always go the way one wants.”He also addressed the much-discussed injuries to his face: “The nails, yes I did them on my nose,” he conceded, revealing the pressures he faces, “I am a person who is nervous sometimes. I have bad days, I mess up a lot, and rudeness makes me nervous. Do I lose my mind sometimes? Yes.”, reports the Mirror.
“I sleep badly and I don’t digest food well. I always have to eat light. Only soup in the evening. But I am the same coach as I was five months ago. The one who had won the title, and I don’t fight my state of mind. If my state of mind is ugly, then it is ugly. But I know it will pass. The same is true when I am overjoyed. I know it will pass.
“I sincerely believe that it will be a year with great difficulties. We have to find continuity. But if we make it through, it won’t be easy for someone to face us.”
Guardiola shared his reflections during the post-match conference: “Of course I question myself but I’m stable in good moments and bad moments,” expressing his self-assessment. He continued to emphasise his approach to the game and his team’s performance: “I try to find a way to do it. I’m incredibly honest. If we play good [I say] we played good and today I thought we played good.”
He remained optimistic despite recent challenges: “Our game will save us. We can do it. We conceded few chances compared to the Nottingham Forest game that we won. We’re making the right tempo.”
Lastly, he pointed out where improvement was needed, while reaffirming his confidence in his squad: “We missed the last pass, did not arrive in the six-yard box [at the right time] or have the composure at the right moment. But I love my team. This is life, it happens. Sometimes you have a bad period but I’m going to insist until we’re there.”
