Pep Guardiola hails Manchester City’s ‘exceptional’ and ‘extraordinary’ fifth Premier League title in six seasons, but insists they must win the Champions League to be considered ‘one of the greatest’
- Pep Guardiola says his Manchester City side did something ‘outstanding’
- City have been awarded the Premier League trophy for the fifth time in six years
- Guardiola insists City must win the Champions League to be one of the greatest
Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City have done something “exceptional” and extraordinary “in winning the Premier League title for the fifth time in six seasons.
City, who won the title after Arsenal were beaten by Nottingham Forest on Saturday, received the trophy at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday after a 1-0 win over Chelsea.
Guardiola is immensely proud of what his players have achieved but insisted they must win the Champions League to be considered one of the greatest teams of all time.
City will face Inter Milan in the Champions League final on June 10.
Before that, they will face rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final.
Pep Guardiola thinks his Manchester City side did something ‘exceptional’
Guardiola’s City celebrated winning the Premier League for the fifth time in six seasons
Reflecting on another title, City boss Pep Guardiola told Sky Sports: “All the Premier Leagues are special. Last season was more special for the way the game was, but it’s always so difficult to earning it. Each time, it seems more difficult.
Chasing Arsenal, he said: “If they had kept up that pace it would have been almost impossible to catch up.” We just think, ‘Okay, we have to push them and wait if they drop a few points’, and they did. We were there.
“We always thought we had to try when they had to visit us here to be close to them. After that it was tough, tough games, in the middle of Champions League games, in the FA Cup semi-finals. You never know how we’re going to react, but the team was outstanding.
“A fifth Premier League in six years, seven in 12, I couldn’t imagine winning five in six.
“I have the feeling that we have done something exceptional. It is something extraordinary. People know how exceptional it is.
“But to be considered one of the greatest, we have to win the Champions League, otherwise it’s not complete.”
On Arsenal’s capitulation, having taken just nine points from a possible 24 in the run-in, Guardiola added: “It’s a tendency to underestimate them, they’re winners.” We pushed them but they did it exceptionally.
Guardiola says City must win the Champions League to be considered one of the greatest
I would be proud of them, where they come from. They made me think a lot about what we had to do to beat them or to win every game.
“Our doggedness and our refusal to give up, feeling like we had to win every game knowing that it wouldn’t be possible if we didn’t help each other a lot.”
Guardiola knows the deal of the season is far from over, and he added on Sky Sports: “You have to win in Europe, the Champions League, to be considered one of the best teams like United or Liverpool. , but it’s also unfair to say if you don’t win it, the Premier League doesn’t make sense.
“Of course it’s logical, of course it’s important. It’s every day, every week. This club has won five of the last six but six of the last 10 and seven of the last 12. That’s amazing.
