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Pep Guardiola says that nobody at Manchester City, including himself, deserves an advantage after a fight season.
The FIFA announced this week that the winners of the renewed Club World Cup would take home £ 97 million, assuming that they also won their group stage matches.
The city is one of the teams participating in the United States, and the competition began on June 15, but asked if the manager or players would receive a part of that, Guardiola said: “We do not deserve this season. We do not deserve an advantage this season.
“If we go there and win, it is for the club. Managers, staff, back room staff, we don’t deserve (a bonus). Not even a clock.”
Bournemouth huge draw for the city
City’s hopes to ensure a fifth successive title of the Premier League evaporated several weeks ago and they currently feel fifth at the table, hosted in a battle to finish in a place in the Champions League.
Its remaining coverage this season is in the FA Cup and face a complicated draw in the quarterfinals in Bournemouth on Sunday.
City lost 2-1 at Vitality Stadium in November and Guardiola expects another difficult game against a team that plays with great intensity under Andoni Iraola.
“They have a special way to play and work with the players and the ideas they have,” said the former chief of Barcelona. “Each team plays specifically and they do very well. Other teams are more direct, other teams want more crosses.”
The city is back, the city is back! 👋 pic.twitter.com/O4P1FJ1OIG
– Manchester City (@mancity) March 27, 2025
Guardiola Coy in Bruyne Future
The Club World Cup has added a potential headache for City with the Premier League that opens an additional transfer window from June 1 to 10 to allow clubs to reinforce their squads and link existing players to new agreements before the tournament is launched.
This opens the possibility of Kevin de Bruyne, who is out of contract at the end of this season, starting before scheduled.
When asked about the future of Belgium’s creator in Etihad, Guardiola said: “It is between the club and Kevin and his agent.
“In the position I am, we are worried about the team and ending the season in the best possible position. We have to think about the best for the club with the FA Cup, the Premier League and the Club World Cup.”
Guardiola also gave a cautious answer to a question asking if the injured midfielder Rodri could return to the Club World Cup.
He said: “It would be good if I could play tomorrow, but (that would be) the wrong decision at this time. It is behaving very well in the field, but the competition is different. We have to be sure that it is fine before it is involved.”
A trip to the vitality stadium for our #Facup Final quarter 👊
🤝 #Asahisuperdry pic.twitter.com/GH8JN2ONPG
– Manchester City (@mancity) March 26, 2025
Guardiola insists that the FA Cup will always be important for the city
The city goes to the southern coast as favorites to win the FA Cup and hopes to extend its remarkable history of reaching the semifinals to a seventh successive year.
Guardiola has always taken the competitions of the cup seriously and says that the posture is not willing to change.
“We see every week in the Premier League and we can try it again in the FA Cup. I remember that in Barcelona and Bayern Munich, in England, the most important thing is that all teams can overcome all teams,” he said.
“I have seen teams like Liverpool that have been incredible in the Premier League, like Arsenal, but the rest of the teams can happen.
“We took the FA Cup seriously as the Carabao Cup in the past when we won four times in a row.”
