Guardiola concedes even Club World Cup triumph can't redeem City's underwhelming season

PHILADELPHIA, June 22 — Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted that even winning the Club World Cup again won’t be enough to salvage what he considers a disappointing 2024-25 season, ahead of their Group G match against Emirati side Al-Ain in Atlanta today.

City missed out on a historic fifth consecutive Premier League title, finishing third in the standings. They also crashed out early in the Champions League, failing to reach the round of 16 after being knocked out by Real Madrid in the playoff round.

“I’ve said it many times — this has not been a good season,” Guardiola told reporters on Saturday. “Winning this tournament won’t change that. But my focus now isn’t on winning. It’s on staying here longer, extending our time in the competition.”

Guardiola, who has lifted the Club World Cup four times as a manager, led City to their first world title in 2023, before the tournament expanded into a 32-team format held once every four years.

City began their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca, and could secure a place in the round of 16 with a win over Al-Ain, who suffered a 5-0 defeat to Juventus in their opening match.

“Now that we’re here, I want to make the most of it,” Guardiola added. “I want to enjoy the experience, because you only get to play in this tournament every four years... and I want us to reach the later stages.” — Reuters