Guardiola: ‘Nothing will be enough’ for critics
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says his achievements will never satisfy his critics, even if he wins the Champions League. Speaking ahead of Man City’s match against Red Bull Leipzig in the first knockout round of the Champions League, Guardiola said:
“I would say that if my career finishes tomorrow, literally tomorrow, I would be more than blessed and grateful for what I have done with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and here, in Europe and in other competitions.
“I could never have expected to have the career I have had in a short time. Not just for the success we had, but also the way we play — I love it. I could not ask for more. We want to do our best and get to the quarterfinals but what is going to happen is going to happen. At the end, destiny is already written.
“Sometimes we have been close, sometimes not. I have the feeling that what we have done, all of us, is going to fail. Whatever I have done personally in the past or in the future, I am going to fail. Nothing will be enough.”
Via ESPN
Guardiola experienced plenty of success in the Champions League at his first club, Barcelona, winning twice in 2009 and 2011, and getting to the semifinals in 2010 and 2012.
However, despite consistent domestic success, he has yet to replicate that success without the genius of Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, and the rest of that legendary Barcelona side.
Guardiola lost in the semifinals three years in a row whilst coaching Bayern Munich after inheriting a treble-winning side.
At Man City, he has at least made a final, losing 1-0 to Chelsea in 2021. He has, however, experienced a litany of embarrassing results where his teams have vastly underperformed, sometimes in part to last-minute tactical or line-up changes. Against Chelsea, his decision to play an unfamiliar line-up without star holding midfielder Rodri cost them, a decision that was widely criticized.
City lost 5-1 on aggregate to Liverpool in 2018, on away goals to an inferior Tottenham side in 2019, and 3-1 to Lyon in 2020, all in the quarterfinals.
Their most devastating loss was against Real Madrid last season, though. They were leading 5-3 heading into the 90th minute of their tie at home, before conceding two late goals to take it to extra time. They looked mentally beaten and lost to a Benzema goal in the 95th minute.
Guardiola has experienced unbelievable domestic success. His teams have won seven of the last nine league titles they’ve contested, and he has won trebles at Bayern and City. However, they seem to run into a wall in the Champions League.
City should still comfortably win tomorrow’s game, despite being without Kevin De Bruyne or Aymeric Laporte.
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