Daily Star

Barca would have sacked me

PEP HONEST OVER FLOP

- By MIKE WHALLEY

PEP GUARDIOLA admits the results of his first season at Manchester City would have got him sacked at Barcelona or Bayern Munich.

But the Blues boss has vowed to make the most of his “second chance” by bringing success to the Etihad next season.

Guardiola could secure a Champions League spot if City beat West Brom tonight – but is still destined for his lowest finish as a manager. He will also end a season with no trophy for the first time since taking charge at the Nou Camp in 2008.

Guardiola never finished lower than second in his four years in charge at Barca. He won the Bundesliga in each of his three seasons at Bayern.

The highest City can finish is third – and Guardiola ® knows he has to do better or face being labelled a failure in England.

He said: “I had pressure when I became manager at Barcelona, when I had no reputation to defend myself with.

“At that club, if in six months you don’t win, you are really out. At Barcelona or Bayern Munich, you have to win by far. If not, they don’t give you a second chance.

“Here they gave me a second chance and we will try to do it.

“In my situation at a big club, I’m sacked. I’m out. Sure. Definitely.

“At the clubs I worked at before, I would not be here now, but here we have a second chance and we will try to do it better than this season.”

Guardiola has urged his players to give Pablo Zabaleta the perfect send-off tonight.

Zabaleta arrived at City in 2008, just as Sheikh Mansour was completing the takeover that would transform them into a major force.

Amazing

The Argentina full-back, 32, has been a key figure in the club’s resurgence, winning two league titles, two League Cups and one FA Cup.

He is leaving on a free when his contract expires next month and is being strongly linked with a move to West Ham.

Guardiola said: “We have a tendency to look at things in a cliched way – English people are that way, Spanish that way, Argentinia­n players in that way.

“But I played alongside and managed some Argentinia­n players and, of course, they are all huge personalit­ies and they are good competitor­s.

“Pablo is a good expression of that. When the situation is going well, wow, they are good. His impact here has been amazing.”

City will pay tribute to Zabaleta after tonight’s game but Guardiola does not see it being a distractio­n.

He said: “We are still playing for important things. We have two finals left and we have to focus on that.”

A win against West Brom would more or less secure City Champions League qualificat­ion. It will be certain if Arsenal also fail to beat Sunderland.

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