RESPECT Pep not feeling gr-eight
PEP GUARDIOLA has demanded respect for his own title-winning stars after being eclipsed by new champions Liverpool.
The Blues boss congratulated Jurgen Klopp and his Premier League kings for their runaway win – but reckons City’s part in setting a new benchmark of excellence in the previous two seasons deserves more recognition.
And as he heads to Newcastle for an FA Cup quarter-final this evening, the Catalan hopes City’s own achievements in recently dominating English football silverware won’t be forgotten.
“To go 769 days without another team winning anything in England, that is an incredible record for us,” said Guardiola.
“After winning eight out of the last 10 titles, this team has passion, they have been there in every single game, every single competition – no one else in this country can say that.
“What we have done is so difficult in the most difficult league in the world by far but you cannot win all the time.
“We dropped points in the beginning that was a little bit tricky and Liverpool did not make a mistake.
“It was not a perfect season from us, after what happened in the previous two seasons with this consistency but there were teams worse than us and one team was exceptional.
“The gap in the Premier League is because the opponent was so good. We have two months to prepare for the next season and we have an incredible challenge to face.
“My team has the desire to always keep going, going, going and trying again and without it the team would not have done what it has done in the last two seasons.
“Liverpool lost one game, only drew twice. When they do that, you have to congratulate them, hats off, but I think they learned from what City did in the previous seasons.
“It’s time to celebrate that and to congratulate Liverpool for the extraordinary league that they played and won, and move forward. Simple.”
Guardiola long since accepted the league was gone but vowed to make sure City fight back with all guns blazing today, when the Champions League resumes in August – and next season.
“The focus is Newcastle, absolutely Newcastle. We can get to Wembley again and another semi-final.
“Newcastle have absolute weapons that can punish us but we have this important game and then we can try to finish the Premier League as best as possible, and try to finish second and after that we have time to prepare for Real Madrid. But now it’s Newcastle.
“When we won the league with 100 points, we won it a long way in advance but we carried on.
“I’m incredibly excited for this part of the season, and the next one.
“I am incredibly satisfied to be in this club and to try to do our best.
“What we have to do is learn.
“I think we all know the reason why we suffered this season and we are going to try to solve it next season.
“Now I don’t want to think too far ahead. Now is not the time. We have a tough game and we have to be focused.”