Pep Guardiola hailed Manchester City’s ‘exceptional’ and ‘extraordinary’ fifth Premier League title in six seasons but insists they need to win the Champions League to be considered ‘one of the greatest’
- Pep Guardiola says his Manchester City side did something ‘extraordinary’
- The city was 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 greats
Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City have done something ‘exceptional’ and ‘unusual’ by winning the Premier League title for the fifth time in six seasons.
City, who won the title after Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest on Saturday, were presented with the trophy at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday following a 1-0 victory over Chelsea.
Guardiola is extremely proud of what his players have achieved but insists they need to 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 believes his Manchester City side did something ‘extraordinary’
Guardiola’s City celebrated winning the Premier League title for the fifth time in six seasons
Reflecting on another title, City boss Pep Guardiola told Sky Sports: ‘Everything in the Premier League is special. Last season was more special for the way the game was played but it was always very difficult to win here. Every time it seems harder.’
On chasing Arsenal, he said: ‘If they keep that rhythm, it’s almost impossible to catch. We just thought, ‘Ok, we have to push them and wait to see if they drop some points’, and they did. We are there.
‘We always thought we had to try when they had to visit us here to be close to them. After that it was difficult, difficult games, in the middle games of the Champions League, semi-final of the FA Cup. You never know how we will respond but the team is outstanding.’
‘A fifth Premier League in six years, seven in 12, I can’t imagine winning five in six.
‘I feel we did something different. This is something unusual. People know how special it is.
‘But to be considered one of the greatest we have to win the Champions League, otherwise it’s not complete.’
On the surrender of Arsenal, who took just nine points from a possible 24 in the run-in, Guardiola added: ‘It’s a habit to underestimate them, they’re winners. We pushed them but they acted strangely.
Guardiola said City must win the Champions League to be considered one of the best
‘I will be proud of them, where they come from. They made me think about what we need to do to beat them or win every game.
‘Our relentlessness and refusal to give up, having the feeling that we had to win every game knowing that it wouldn’t have been possible without us helped us a lot.’
Guardiola knows the business of the season is far from over, and he added to 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 say if you don’t win it, the Premier League is pointless.
‘Of course it makes sense, 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. It’s amazing.’
