MANCHESTER: Pep Guardiola believes a new-look Manchester City need time to match the feats of his earlier years in charge after bowing out of the Champions League to Real Madrid for the third consecutive season. Guardiola's men have an immediate chance to bounce back when they face Arsenal in the League Cup final on Sunday. "We need to finish the Premier League strong, prepare good decisions for the summer and next season we will be back in the Champions League." Guardiola did lead City to Champions League glory in 2022/23, but just one European crown in 10 years is the one slight blemish on his record since arriving in Manchester. "I would love this club to be like Madrid where if you don't win the Champions League, it is a failure.

Source: New Strait Times March 18, 2026 22:09 UTC