Manchester City, Pep Guardiola is already considering how The Club World Cup adventure could influence their domestic Premier League season.
The City manager acknowledged uncertainty over whether their Premier League campaign might be disrupted by their involvement in the international competition.
England boss Thomas Tuchel recently claimed the participation of Manchester City and Chelsea in this summer’s U.S.-based tournament could offer a significant advantage to rivals Liverpool and Arsenal in the title race.
Nevertheless, Guardiola emphasised his team’s aim to rediscover their top form following a disappointing 2024-25 season, beginning with their upcoming clash against Al Hilal in Orlando on Monday night (2am Tuesday UK).
“I try to enjoy the atmosphere, the competition and aim to win,” said Guardiola.
“My priority is for the players tomorrow recover and reconnect with what made us strong. That’s our primary goal here.”
He added: “I want them to feel this is our road back to being the competitive side we’ve been for most of the last decade. After that, we’ll see what follows.”
Sky Sports News’ Kaveh Solhekol shared his analysis after Manchester City’s emphatic victory over Juventus during the tournament.
Guardiola continued: “Maybe later this year , in November, December, or January , it could take a toll, and we’ll be exhausted from the World Cup. I don’t know. This is a first for all of us. We’ll find out when we return.”
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‘Some teams complain because they aren’t here’
Guardiola expressed empathy for his old rival Jurgen Klopp, now global soccer chief at Red Bull, whose Salzburg side once competed in the tournament.
But he hinted that some criticism may come from envy.
Speaking at a media briefing, Guardiola said: “I’ve had many battles with Jurgen and understand his perspective.”
“I respect him and could argue on his behalf too. Still, as managers, we don’t set the fixtures. Once we’re here, we’re proud. Many teams gripe about these tournaments simply because they aren’t part of them. If they were, they’d probably enjoy it.”
Weather conditions , from searing heat to electrical storms , have frequently interrupted the tournament schedule.
Chelsea’s round-of-16 match with Benfica was halted for nearly two hours due to nearby lightning.
Reacting to the delays, Guardiola remarked: “I’m a fantastic manager, but even I can’t control thunderstorms.”
“If a match here is stopped for safety, we’ll step aside and resume when appropriate. It’s not ideal, but I’ve learned to accept what I cannot change.
Al Hilal boss Simone Inzaghi believes he’s preparing to meet football’s greatest manager in Guardiola — although he feels his Inter Milan side deserved more from their 2023 Champions League final encounter.
Inzaghi’s team lost to Manchester City in Istanbul as the English side completed their historic treble. The two met again when Inter and City shared a goalless draw at the Etihad last September.
Now leading Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal, Inzaghi stated: “Every coach starting out considers Guardiola a role model.”
“He transformed football philosophy and playing style. In the past 20-25 years, no one has matched his influence.”
Reflecting on last year’s final, Inzaghi added: “It was a balanced match, and maybe Inter deserved better. But Manchester City are an exceptional team, and we’re determined to deliver a strong performance.”
Inzaghi confirmed that Al Hilal would be without captain Salem Al-Dawsari , renowned for his decisive goal in Saudi Arabia’s stunning 2022 World Cup win over Argentina and striker Aleksandar Mitrovic due to injuries.
