Pep Guardiola acknowledged that while he led Manchester City to Champions League glory in the 2022/23 season, the club’s relatively modest European record—just one title in a decade—remains a blemish on his otherwise illustrious tenure.
The City manager said he wants his team to embrace the same expectations that define Real Madrid, where anything less than winning Europe’s top club competition is considered a failure.
“I would love this club to be like Madrid, where if you don’t win the Champions League, it is a failure. That is pressure,” Guardiola said.
“(At) City it is not the expectation. In time maybe we will get that,” he added, emphasizing his desire to instill a winning mentality that matches Europe’s elite.
City’s European ambitions remain high as they continue to rebuild, with domestic competitions offering immediate opportunities to assert their dominance while preparing for future Champions League campaigns.
