With the Premier League title race normally no longer in the balance this season, Pep Guardiola sees even “smaller” goals in jeopardy – and calls for winter transfers.
Pep Guardiola’s anticipation of Boxing Day was limited this year. Manchester City have plummeted to seventh place due to their recent sporting crisis. The weak performance can also be explained by injury problems – Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, who has suffered a serious knee injury that will cost him the rest of the season, is just the most prominent example.
Guardiola, who currently looks severely affected, also sees the urgency of reinforcements. “We definitely have to sign players,” the Catalan explained before the home game against Everton (1-1) on Boxing Day on Amazon Prime: “We have problems – especially at the back and in the middle, so I think we have to do that.”
In addition to the defense, new purchases for the six and the eight are considered elementary, and alternatives for the attack are also to be sought. “I don’t know what will happen,” Guardiola added: “The transfer window in winter is not easy, but everyone is aware of that. Even our players are aware of our situation.” Txiki Begiristain, the sporting director who is leaving at the end of the season and will be succeeded by Sporting’s “pearl diver” Hugo Viana, is once again called upon.
“When I said that earlier, people laughed”
Guardiola no longer wants to talk about possibly defending the title because the competition has long since escaped him. He sees even participation in the premier class as being in jeopardy. The Skyblues are currently taking part for the 14th time in a row. Only Arsenal (1998 to 2017) and Manchester United (1996 to 2014) have a longer streak.
“When I said that earlier, people laughed,“ said Guardiola. ‘They said, ’Qualifying for the Champions League is not a big success’. But I know it is, because of the competition in this country.” He added that long-dominant teams would suddenly no longer be able to qualify for the Champions League.
“The only team that has always played in the Champions League in recent years was Manchester City,” Guardiola added. ”But now we are in danger – of course we are.”
If his team does not qualify for the most important European club competition at the end of the season, it will be “because we don’t deserve it.” However, the fact that City are close behind fourth-placed Nottingham and still have more than half of the season to play is also part of the truth.