Pep Guardiola Man City fight continues as the manager vows to battle on in the Premier League and Europe despite a 3–0 deficit to Real Madrid
Pep Guardiola has insisted Manchester City will continue battling on all fronts this season despite a demanding run of fixtures and a daunting first-leg deficit against Real Madrid in Europe.
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The City manager spoke ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with West Ham United at the London Stadium, stressing that the team remains fully focused on each match during a decisive phase of the campaign.
City are still chasing league leaders Arsenal while also preparing for the Carabao Cup final and an FA Cup quarter-final. However, they face a major challenge in Europe after losing the first leg of their tie with Real Madrid 3–0.
“When you have won a lot of titles, every game is important,” Guardiola said during his Friday press conference. “We have been struggling for many months for the Premier League, and we will not give up fighting until the end.”
The Spanish coach explained that squad rotation will be necessary due to the intense schedule but insisted the immediate focus remains the domestic league rather than the European clash.
“We cannot play the same eleven every three days, but I’m not thinking about Madrid,” Guardiola said. “The day after Madrid when I woke up was Nuno, West Ham and what we have to do.”
City face a critical stretch over the next week, beginning with the trip to West Ham before hosting Real Madrid in the return leg and then meeting Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final.
Guardiola acknowledged that the match against West Ham, managed by Nuno Espirito Santo, will be far from straightforward as the London club fights to secure its position in the Premier League.
“When we arrive in the last 10 games, every team plays for something,” he said. “For relegation or for Champions League places. Now there are no second chances.”
Despite the packed schedule and the heavy deficit against Real Madrid, Guardiola maintained that his players remain determined to compete across all competitions.
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“We’ll see on Tuesday. Now it’s West Ham,” he said. “I always believe the Premier League is the most difficult one and still we are there. We are desperate to win too.”
