City boss celebrates milestone win but admits recent form highlights the challenges of maintaining success
Pep Guardiola marked his 500th game in charge of Manchester City with a 2-0 victory at Leicester, but the Spaniard took the opportunity to reflect on the recent struggles of his side, acknowledging how difficult it can be to sustain the levels of success City have enjoyed under his leadership.
The win, secured through goals from Savinho and Erling Haaland, ended a five-match winless run for City, who have only managed two Premier League victories since the end of October. It was a far cry from the dominance the club has shown in English football over the past seven years, with Guardiola at the helm.
“It is a lot of games, and I am so pleased, sharing this milestone with the players and staff,” Guardiola said after the match. “The journey we’ve been on since day one has been incredible. I know the last 13 or 14 games haven’t been great, but when I look back on what we’ve achieved together, I feel proud.”
Guardiola, who joined City in 2016, also reflected on how much has changed since his arrival, admitting he could never have imagined the success his side has had in his first 500 matches.
“Many things have happened that will be remembered forever. Maybe this tough period, which feels like 100 months, will make us realise how special it was to experience that success,” Guardiola continued. “Hopefully, we’ll come back from this, even if we can’t always be what we were. We need to get closer to that level.”
While Guardiola remains optimistic about City’s ability to rebound, he also acknowledged that their title challenge this season might already be over. Despite their ability to go on long winning streaks in the second half of the season, City’s hopes of securing a third consecutive Premier League title now look slim.
However, the City boss was quick to highlight the overall success of the past year, which included a historic fourth Premier League title in a row, as well as a FA Cup final appearance and a solid run to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
“In terms of results, we’ve had an unbelievable year,” Guardiola reflected. “Twelve months of results are what matter, not just a month or two. We reached the FA Cup final, won a fourth straight Premier League title, and performed really well in the Champions League.”
Guardiola’s celebration of his quincentenary at the club comes at a time when the team faces the challenge of regaining their best form. Yet, for now, the focus remains on keeping morale high and continuing to fight for every point as they aim to finish the season on a strong note.
“Today, we won and that’s what we needed, for our minds and souls,” Guardiola said after the victory.
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