MX23RW : Thursday, April 25 08:38:15| >> :120:56564:56564:

Pep Guardiola looks ahead to next season

Pep Guardiola looks ahead to next season
© Reuters
The Premier League champions can complete an unprecedented domestic treble on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola has warned his Manchester City players they will have to prove themselves all over again next season.

The Premier League champions can complete an unprecedented domestic treble when they face Watford in the FA Cup final on Saturday.

But regardless of whether City can crown an outstanding season with victory at Wembley or not, the ever-demanding Guardiola says reputations will count for little next term.

The City boss said: "Every player has to feel, 'I have to play good or I don't play'. They have to feel, 'I have to win again, if not I have problems, I'm in trouble, I cannot be longer here'.

"People say how beautiful it is but we have to win again and again and again and the players have to feel that.

"It was incredible but for the first day from next season we start from zero."

Guardiola expects some changes to be made to the squad this summer. Signings will be made to freshen up the group and he accepts some players may wish to move on.

He said: "Some movements we have to do for the next season, yes, because people want to leave, players want to play.

"They accept not playing for a period but when the period is long it's normal that they want to play more. I can't assure that to anyone so I understand completely."

Winger Leroy Sane was linked with Bayern Munich this week while Ilkay Gundogan now has just one year remaining on his contract. Guardiola remains hopeful both will agree new deals.

He said: "Leroy, we are one and a half years trying to sign his (new) contract. We want him. It's like Gundogan – it's the same case."

Leroy Sane and Ilkay Gundogan have been subjects of transfer speculation
Leroy Sane and Ilkay Gundogan have been subjects of transfer speculation (Martin Rickett/PA)

Captain Vincent Kompany is out of contract this summer. Guardiola hopes to retain the services of the four-time Premier League winner but the 33-year-old's future after the FA Cup final remains unclear.

He said: "We are going to speak after this game. Vinny has shown again when he is fit what he is able to do."

City were in contention for a quadruple until being beaten in dramatic fashion by Tottenham in the Champions League quarter-finals last month.

Guardiola, however, doubts whether his team would have been able to hold off Liverpool in the Premier League if the result against Spurs had gone the other way.

View this post on Instagram

Bossing it 👊 #mancity

A post shared by Manchester City (@mancity) on

He said: "Always I thought after going out to Tottenham in the Champions League quarter-finals, if we'd gone through would we have been able to beat Tottenham (again), go to Old Trafford, Burnley and win the points we needed to be champions against this Liverpool?

"Honestly, I don't know if we would have been able."

Guardiola won the Champions League twice with Barcelona and will fight again to win the prize with City next term.

He said: "Of course it's our dream to do it but I have to improve, I have to see what I can do better to do it. As a manager I'm not good enough in this club to maintain it.

Guardiola's City were knocked out of the Champions League by Tottenham
Guardiola's City were knocked out of the Champions League by Tottenham (Mike Egerton/PA)

"We will work on I don't know what because we tried to do our best, but the Champions League is difficult. It was not the same level as we've achieved in the other competitions."

Guardiola remains keen to point out that City can still win a quadruple this season, as they won the Community Shield last August.

He said: "We can win it tomorrow – the 'little' quadruple. It's a big chance for us."

ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Andy Hampson, Press Association Sport');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', 'c1da7084-640b-49f6-b235-60834733ad72');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:club-news,paservice:sport:football,paservice:sport:uk,paservice:sport:world');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'Guardiola: City players must start from square one next season'});

ID:359602: cacheID:359602:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:17143:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Pep Guardiola on the edge of his proverbial seat during the Premier League game between Manchester City and Leicester City on May 6, 2019
Read Next:
Pep Guardiola: "We are innocent until it is proven"
>
Read more about Pep Guardiola Football
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal34245582265677
2Liverpool34228475344174
3Manchester CityMan City32227376324473
4Aston Villa34206871502166
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs32186865491660
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd33165125150153
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle331551369541550
8West Ham UnitedWest Ham34139125463-948
9Chelsea32138116157447
10Bournemouth34129134960-1145
11Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton321111105250244
12Wolverhampton WanderersWolves34127154654-843
13Fulham34126165054-442
14Crystal Palace34109154456-1239
15Brentford3498175259-735
16Everton34118153648-1233
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3479184260-1826
18Luton TownLuton3467214775-2825
19Burnley3458213769-3223
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd3437243392-5916


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!