Pep: If we don’t win the title we will be ‘destroyed’
PEP GUARDIOLA admitted the side that misses out on the Premier League title will be “destroyed” for coming up short. Manchester City will pip Liverpool to the title if they win at Brighton tomorrow and will become the first side to retain it since Manchester United a decade ago.
City and Liverpool have gone toe to toe in the most remorseless title race, but one side will end up with nothing to show for their exploits tomorrow when the trophy is lifted. And Guardiola said the team that comes second will find it hard to take given how the two rivals have slugged it out all season. Asked if City’s heroics would be in vain if they did not lift the trophy, Guardiola said: “That’s normal, but I’m not going to change my opinion on what we’ve done. “Of course, to get more credit you have to win. We saw in the Champions League, everybody destroyed the losing teams, their managers, even though they’re doing well. “We know that’s life. know we will be judged. We have to win.” Guardiola said lifting the title this season would be even more memorable than last year’s success – because he feared they had lost their chance.
City trailed Liverpool by seven points when the two sides met at the Etihad in January, with Guardiola admitting the title race would have been over had Jurgen Klopp’s side won to extend their lead to 10 points. But City won 2-1 I with goals from Sergio Aguero (below, top) and Leroy Sane (main pic) to breathe life back into their challenge. Now Guardiola is relishing the chance to finish the job tomorrow.
“It’s a dream to be here,” said the former Barcelona manager. “I didn’t expect, when we were seven points behind Liverpool, to be in the position we are now. So that’s why it’s a dream come true.
“Now is not the moment to say how well we’ve done. We have the chance to be champions if we win our game and that’s what we have to do.
If we make it backto-back titles it
would be nice, but nothing change too much.”
City drew 0-0 at Liverpool earlier in the season but wasted the chance to collect all three points when Riyad Mahrez (bottom) missed a late penalty.
“We have done incredibly well all season in all competitions and now have two games – two finals – for two titles. We’ll be strong mentally, knowing it’s going to be tough,” Guardiola said. “We have to focus on the game and not worry too much about the rest. If the game is running into problems, we must be calm and think about what we have to do.
“We may have to go crazy in the last five, 10, 15 minutes, but before that we have a plan and will follow the plan to win the game.”
This season’s title race is going to is in complete contrast to last year, when City, inspired by Kevin De Bruyne (middle), wrapped it up with five games to go, en route to racking up a record-breaking 100 points.
Guardiola has won seven league titles as a manager but only once before has he clinched one on the final day, back in 2010 with Barcelona, a 4-0 win over Real Valladolid edging out Real Madrid.
“When we won the title with five or so games to go it was easier, but it’s so nice, a privilege (to go to the final day),” added the Spaniard.
“We’re in this position because we won a lot of games in the last part of the season, 13 in a row, and now we have to win one more.
“I saw the team relaxed, training well, and smiling. They’re completely focused and we’ve spoken in meetings about what we have to do.
“It’s a game where anything can happen - one mistake from our side, one incredible performance from the other side, a mistake from the referee for or against us, can decide the title.
“That’s why we have to be more precise in all aspects we’ve been working on in these last three years and try to win.”