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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola stated that his team, who are the current Champions League titleholders, are not underestimating their opponents as they aim to add the Club World Cup trophy to their collection. They will face Urawa Red Diamonds in the semi-finals.
The team City, who emerged victorious in the Champions League for the first time this year, has not yet secured a win in the Club World Cup. However, their coach Guardiola has previously achieved this feat twice with Barcelona and once with Bayern Munich.
Guardiola expressed his delight in being present here, as it is the first time Man City has been here. He emphasized that they do not consider it as something ordinary, but rather a privilege and an honor.
It is difficult to emerge victorious in this competition and one must have achieved something noteworthy in the past. This is my fourth appearance in the competition and each time, the semi-final has been incredibly challenging and unpredictable.
“We have our sights set on winning this trophy. It is one we have yet to claim. Our goal is to complete the collection and achieve victory in all possible competitions. This tournament is our final opportunity.”
The past 10 Club World Cup events have all been won by teams from Europe. On Tuesday, City will be considered the top choice as they face Urawa, the current champions of the Asian Champions League, at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah.
Guardiola advised being careful, emphasizing the skill of Japanese soccer. Japan’s national team, known as the ‘Samurai Blue’, achieved victories against Spain and Germany during the 2018 World Cup.
“It’s a challenge to make it to the final. We are not very familiar with them, but we have gathered as much data as we can,” stated Guardiola. “Japan’s national team has defeated Germany and is successful against top teams in the world. The football scene in Japan is formidable.”
Currently, Manchester City is experiencing a period of poor performance.
The City team has been struggling lately, only managing to win three out of their last eight matches in all competitions. However, midfielder Bernardo Silva reassures that the team still has the drive to succeed.
Silva expressed that there is no fatigue when participating in the Club World Cup. He also stated that they are driven to compete in this tournament.
“We, as a club, have yet to achieve victory, and the majority of us have not experienced winning either. However, we are determined to change that and emerge victorious. Our first step towards this goal is facing Urawa Red Diamonds, and we will ensure thorough preparation for this match.”
Reuters
The source is the website independent.co.uk.
