Howe in rally call
Pep vows revenge on those who ‘tried to bury us’ Klopp bemoans FFP call
elite clubs like Liverpool, (Manchester) United, Arsenal, it is uncomfortable us being here, but they have to understand we deserve to be with them and fighting for the achievements that they have achieved in the past.
“We deserve to be stronger, year by year. We have incredible people working at this club to make it better, to make our fans proud.
“We don’t have to ask permission to be there, we deserve to be there and when we lose, I will shake my colleague’s hand and congratulate him.
“Accept it. But if you don’t agree just knock on the door of our chairman, our CEO and talk.
“Don’t go from behind and whisper we’re going to do this – seven, eight, nine clubs, doing it from behind.
“Go and do it on the pitch. Let’s go.”
Guardiola was also quick to highlight the fact United, Chelsea and Arsenal have all spent huge sums in the past.
He said: “A lot of clubs invest. United and Arsenal, they have invested more money than the other ones. When Chelsea started to win they invested more.
“I am a good manager, but I need good players. We built a club in the last decade to compete with the elite of the Premier League and we need to invest.
“We had a lot of money but we wanted Alexis Sanchez and we because if I think about the league and if City has 10-12 games less and can rest players, then I don’t see any chance for any other team.
“I don’t wish anybody anything bad but I don’t think it was a good day for football.”
Klopp, whose side face Arsenal tonight, is clearly worried the CAS ruling will give could not afford it. We wanted Harry Maguire but we could not afford it. We have money but Manchester United have it too.
“Twenty-five years ago Arsenal with Arsene Wenger spent a lot of money to be there (at the top). Manchester United spent a lot of money with Sir Alex Ferguson to be there. I am a good manager but I am humble enough to say that without my players, I am nothing.”
Guardiola, who revealed he could now stay longer than the remaining 12 months on his current contract, believes the whole experience has forged an even stronger bond within the confines of the club.
He added: “This club is incredibly solid, with Pep and without Pep. This club had success before my arrival, with (Roberto) Mancini, with (Manuel) Pellegrini, they won a lot of titles.
“They have incredible players. This is the reason why. We want to keep it and reinforce it.
“I love this club. I love it because I know the people here are working for a long time. It is our history. I love it, I like it.
“When you do something wrong, I am the first to say we have to apologise or accept the punishment or the big instances.
“But it was not the case. I don’t want to apologise for anything. Manchester City don’t have to apologise because the three independent judges decided we have done everything properly. It is clear.” the green light for wealthy club owners to go on lavish spending sprees in the belief FFP is a busted flush.
He said: “I hope FFP stays because it gives borders where you can go to.
“If you start saying nobody has to care anymore then the richest people can do whatever they want.”
And Klopp feels any loosening of FFP will make it harder to repeat the sort of stellar season he has enjoyed in 2019-20.
He said: “For the football we know at this moment it was not a good day that we should all celebrate and think, ‘We can all spend as much as we want’.
“I am happy we won the championship this year because it will not be easier in the future.”
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BOURNEMOUTH boss Eddie Howe says his side will have to produce one of the club’s greatest performances against Manchester City tonight.
The Cherries are fighting for their Premier League lives but were boosted by Sunday’s 4-1 thumping of Leicester.
Howe said: “Quite possibly we are going to need our greatest performance tonight.
“That’s the size of the task we face. But I believe it’s possible. If we can put it all together then we’re more than capable of doing just that.
“We need something, we need to try and win our last three games. It’s not in our DNA to do anything else.”