Trophy win can make the damage “minor”, but club must commit to making improvements for next season, says Guardiola
Pep Guardiola has made it clear that an FA Cup final appearance cannot mask what he considers a significant underachievement for his Manchester City team this season.
City secured their place in next month’s FA Cup final with a 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at Wembley, setting up a showdown against Crystal Palace on 17 May.
However, the win did little to lift Guardiola’s spirits following a turbulent campaign that saw City falter both domestically and in Europe.
The reigning champions’ defence of their Premier League title fizzled out months before Liverpool officially claimed their 20th league crown with a commanding 5-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.
When asked if securing a top-five Premier League finish and a potential FA Cup triumph would salvage the season, Guardiola, whose sides have set the gold standard in the Premier League in recent years, was emphatic about their shortfalls.
“No, this season has not been good,” he said. “We are a thousand million points behind Liverpool. It’s not good. Look at the Champions League. We won one game? Two games?”
“We were always a machine and we have not been good,” said the Spaniard. “But the damage will be minor. It is not going to confuse that the season has been good. The club have to take the right decisions so next season will be better.”
