GUARDIOLA SAYS HE WOULD HAVE LOST HIS JOB

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola is facing pressure at the Etihad. He has previously worked with Barcelona and Bayern Munich, elite teams in Europe. After a big spending budget last summer, he failed to deliver any trophy. He managed to get a top four spot so the team can play Champions League football next year.

The Spanish tactician has said that if he were to finish the way he did this season at City in either Barca or Bayern, he would have lost his job. While at Barcelona, he lifted six titles in a year. He won the Champions League twice and the La Liga twice, aside other titles. In Germany, he delivered the league every year and took the team to the semi-final of the Champions League for the three years he stayed.

Whilst Barcelona were possibly at their best when Guardiola was at the helm, their tickets are still sought after as they fight for the La Liga title - you can click here if you want tickets to see the big games in the final run-in.

City hired him specifically to break their limits in continental football. The team managed to reach the Semi-final stage last year. This time, they lost to Monaco on a bad note in the Round of 16, and faltered in the local competitions.

“Here they gave me a second chance and we will try to do it. In my situation at a big club I’m sacked. I’m out. Sure. Definitely. At the clubs I worked at before I am not here [for the next season], but here we have a second chance,” the manager said.

Guardiola has admitted that English football is a difficult one to predict. He said the Premier League was “more difficult” than “Germany, Spain and Italy.” He credited Chelsea for being a “better” and “consistent” side.

The 45-year old is looking at reducing the average age of the squad whilst rebuilding the team to one that he wants. The competition next season would be even stiffer as other top coaches would also have to deliver on their targets.