Manchester – Archyde.com
Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola said his team must win the Champions League to earn global recognition, but he is “very happy” with what the Premier League champions have achieved so far.
Guardiola has led City to three Premier League titles, four League Cups and an FA Cup since taking charge in 2016, but he has yet to be crowned European champions despite coming close to that last year when he reached the final.
So far, City can still win three titles this season, leading the Premier League by one point from Liverpool and reaching the FA Cup semi-finals and the Champions League quarter-finals.
“Sometimes to be happy you have to get praise from the outside to be happy on the inside and that’s stupid,” Guardiola told British media, ahead of Liverpool hosting their domestic title rivals later on Sunday. I agree with most people that we haven’t achieved anything in Europe, we haven’t won the Champions League and they may be right. In order to gain the recognition of the world abroad, we must conquer Europe.”
And the Spanish coach added: “Will that happen? I don’t know, so far what we have achieved here makes me very happy. At first we are having fun. We did a lot, a lot of good things, that’s how I feel.”
And if City beat Liverpool later on Sunday, it will surpass it by four points, with seven games remaining, while Liverpool’s victory will push it to the top of the competition at the expense of its opponent.