We’re decades behind Euro elite
PEP SAYS CITY CAN’T COMPETE
THE good news for Manchester City fans is that Sergio Aguero will be playing for the club next season.
The bad news is that City are ‘decades’ behind the top clubs in Europe, according to boss Pep Guardiola.
City made sure of qualification for next season’s Champions League with a five-star showing at Watford yesterday, when Aguero scored twice and could have had more.
And Guardiola confirmed that the Argentina star will stay at the Etihad to lead their assault on Europe’s top trophy.
But even though City can match any club in world football for cash, Guardiola insists that they need time to reach the level of Real Madrid or Barcelona.
He said: “When Real Madrid and Barcelona want a player, they take that player. Money is not enough.
“To compete against them we need time, decades, to be there.
“Before, we were never in the Champions League and now we’ve been there six or seven times in a row. But to achieve the next step, the gap is shorter but it’s more difficult – to compete head-to-head against the big clubs in Europe, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus.
“Atletico Madrid made that step but even they could not win the Champions League, even though they deserved to.
Hiding
“For that you need time and in the world time doesn’t exist. It’s not allowed. But we are satisfied because we are in the Champions League.
“Tomorrow we will think about what to do next season and the pressure will be the same.”
Yesterday City signed off in style, giving Watford’s injury-hit team a hiding in Walter Mazzarri’s last game in charge. Vincent Kompany headed in Kevin De Bruyne’s corner after only five minutes.
Aguero made it 2-0, collecting De Bruyne’s pass through the stumbling Watford defence and shooting low past Heurelho Gomes into the far corner midway through the first half.
Leroy Sane put the third on a plate for Aguero to shoot home and stand-in right-back Fernandinho got in on the act four minutes before half-time.
It could have been more and Watford were booed off at the break.
Not even the introduction of Troy Deeney as a sub helped the Hornets and it was always going to be a damage limitation job for the hosts after the first-half blitz.
Gabriel Jesus scored City’s fifth when he collected Aguero’s cross and lifted the ball into the net after 58 minutes.
That was six defeats in a row for Watford – their worst run in 44 years. Mazzarri blamed injuries that deprived him of six defenders.
He said: “I respect the fans’ opinions but I gave everything this year.
“With such a difficult situation a less experienced manager would have done worse.” 8; Janmaat WATFORD (4-2-3-1): GOMES Holebas 4, 5 (Eleftheriou 39, 6), Behrami 6, 4; Amrabat 3 Mason 4; Cleverley 5, Doucoure 3 (Pereira 74, (Deeney 59, 6), Capoue 5, Niang Gilmartin, 4); Okaka 5. Subs: Pantilimon, Zuniga, Watson. 7; MAN CITY (4-2-3-1): Caballero 7, Fernandinho 6, Kompany 7, Otamendi 6 (Sagna 63, 6); Clichy 6; DE BRUYNE 8, Toure 62, 6); Aguero Jesus 7, Silva 7, Sane 7 (Navas Sterling, 7 (Iheanacho 71, 6). Subs: Gunn, Kolarov, Stones. Referee: Jon Moss 6. hat-trick when YOUR TURN: Who scored a the FA Cup City beat Watford 4-2 at home in fourth round in 2014?