FA Cup not enough to save dreary season for Man City, says Pep following his side’s passage into the Finals.
FA Cup not enough to add gloss to what has been a dull and dreary season for Manchester City, says Pep Guardiola.
Josko Gvardiol’s header in the 51st minute and Rico Lewis’ long-range goal after two minutes gave City a 2-0 semi-final loss to Nottingham Forest at Wembley on Sunday, preserving their final chance to win a trophy this season.
Guardiola’s club upset Manchester United 2-1 in the Cup final two years prior, but they lost 2-1 last year. But after defeating Forest, Guardiola concentrated on Liverpool’s championship victory, which followed Tottenham’s 5-1 loss at Anfield.
“On behalf of myself and all the club we want to congratulate Liverpool Football Club for their Premier League victory,” Guardiola said. “Well deserved, no doubts about that. A fantastic team. During [next] year, like it happened the last four years [with City], they’re going to try and retain the title and hopefully next season we can be better, to compete until the end for the title. This season was not possible. So congratulations to Liverpool.”
With 61 points, City is in fourth position, one point ahead of Forest, who are in sixth place with a game left. The Champions League will be open to the top five teams. However, Guardiola denied that winning the FA Cup and securing a top-five finish would make the season a success.
“No,” he said. “This season has not been good. We are a thousand million points behind Liverpool [actually 21]. It’s not good. Look at the Champions League. We won one game? Two games? We were not good. The club has to take the right decisions [this summer] so next season will be better.”
Of reaching three consecutive FA Cup finals, he said: “It speaks highly of this generation of players, the club itself. We have to be calm now and recover. We have five days now [ahead of Wolves, at home on Friday].”