Optimism Remains Key for Pep Guardiola
Although Manchester City suffered their third consecutive defeat against Sporting Lisbon this Tuesday in the Champions League, Pep Guardiola refused to succumb to panic and preferred to remain optimistic.
"It’s hard to find the reasons for what’s happening to us right now. I don’t remember losing three times in a row in the seven and a half years I’ve been here. We’re in a dark place, everything seems to be going in the wrong direction," Guardiola said, visibly affected as he expressed concern over the situation. Bernardo Silva, who was shaken and stunned, struggled to find the words after Manchester City's heavy 1-4 loss to Sporting in the fourth round of the Champions League, marking their third consecutive defeat in all competitions. The Portuguese midfielder had difficulty explaining this setback and the tough patch his team is going through.
It’s worth noting that both Silva and Manchester City are not accustomed to facing such a situation, as it is the first time since 2018 that the team has encountered such a losing streak. This series of defeats has been both sudden and unexpected, as just a week ago, the Sky Blues were still undefeated in their last 14 matches since the start of the season. But that was before. Despite this third defeat in just six days and the low morale affecting the squad, Pep Guardiola disagreed with Bernardo Silva’s pessimistic tone when he appeared at the post-match press conference following the final whistle against Sporting.
Guardiola’s determination
"I don’t agree with him. We played very poorly against Bournemouth and very well today. The only regret is conceding the third and fourth goals. It’s not easy to swallow, but it’s an experience, and I’m here. When you play many games, you can’t use the same team and the same four defenders every time. We’ve had these problems from day one, but that’s how it is. Today is a difficult moment in terms of results," admitted the Spanish coach, without giving in to panic. In contrast to British tabloids or some of his players, Pep Guardiola chose to maintain a positive mindset, viewing this bad patch as a challenge to overcome.
"It’s a big challenge. I knew this season would be difficult, but that’s how it is. I like it, I love it, I want to face it, to lift my players up. Life is like that. Maybe six Premier League titles in seven years are an exception... I want to fight and not give up, I love the challenge that lies ahead as a coach. I don’t give up, maybe people expect that, but I don’t give up. I want to face the challenge and motivate the players. The players who want to follow me will be there. That’s football," Guardiola promised, determined to face the mountain of challenges ahead of him. The next challenge? Beating Brighton this weekend in the Premier League.
