Guardiola has refused to answer questions about what his team could achieve this season, and City’s start has not given many clues either.
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At the Halloween party organized for the players of the Manchester City and their families two days before the game against Bournemouth Last Sunday, one of the decorative elements of the place was a cinema-style entrance. Inside, the walls were covered with “Wanted” and “Missing” posters with photos of the staff. Pep Guardiola. At the entrance, the guests, including the defender Ruben Dias dressed as Jack Sparrow, they were greeted by a classic theatrical scene with red velvet curtains and an illuminated sign.
“Now playing: I Know What You Did Last Season,” the poster read, referencing a slasher horror film.
Injuries and a significant drop in performance turned the 2024-25 season into a real nightmare for a team that had won the four previous league titles. Premier League. Players and coaching staff can laugh at themselves now, although there is a feeling that the City He is still trying to prove that he has fully recovered from the ordeal.
Guardiola He has so far refused to answer questions about what his team could achieve this season, and City’s start has not provided many clues either. They have achieved victories against Manchester United and the Napoliand a creditable draw with Arsenal, but also defeats against Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion and Aston Villa.
Despite their irregular performance, City occupies second position in the table before receiving the Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. This match will be key to determining whether they are once again candidates for the title or if they are still in the process of rebuilding.
To get back on track, Guardiola is doing things differently. He made the unusual decision to cancel training on Wednesday, the day before the match. Champions League against him Borussia Dortmundgiving the players the day off. Dortmund’s Bundesliga match against Augsburg had been brought forward to the previous Friday so that they would have four days of rest before visiting the Etihad. Meanwhile, City were asked to play Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon.
Guardiola is doing everything he can to avoid a repeat of the injuries that ruined last season. He commented that he hoped that this measure – which required special approval from UEFA – would also serve as an example for those responsible for scheduling the calendar. He’s unlikely to get much help in that regard, but the extra rest paid off and the City They beat Dortmund 4-1, thus moving up to fourth place in the Champions League standings.
There have also been changes off the field of play. The squad has lost the experience of more than 1,500 games in the last 12 months with the departures of Ederson, Kyle Walker, Ilkay Gündogan and Kevin De Bruyne. It is something that, according to the defender If Guardiolhas been especially noted.
“It shows,” he declared to ESPN. “Many are no longer with us, but that’s football. One day you’re here, the next you might be somewhere else, and we have to accept that. … It’s normal [que haya cambios en la plantilla] and everyone on our team is professionals and each one fulfills their role, their job, in a very professional manner.”
In response, Guardiola has assumed greater control of the dressing room. Over the summer, he hand-picked his captains after years of allowing players to vote on their own. Concluding that a lack of unity contributed to last season’s failures, he chose the leaders himself for the first time in his coaching career.
Organizing a Halloween party may seem insignificant, but for Guardiola it is essential to recover what was lost last season. He has been very aware of the spirit and unity of the team, but that focus extends to other aspects that he considers vital for its proper functioning, such as body language in training and games.
The loss of so many important figures in a relatively short period of time has allowed others to take center stage. Guardiola’s new leadership team is led by Bernardo Silva, with the support of Dias, Rodri and Erling Haaland.
Bernardo, Dias and Rodri – experienced and older players – were perhaps the most obvious choices, but the choice of Haaland It was a surprise. However, Guardiola has declared that it was perhaps “the best decision I have ever made.” Haaland has been an example on the field with 18 goals and greater defensive diligence. Off the pitch, Haaland has adapted perfectly to his new role. This week, he asked to take charge of the press conference prior to the game against Dortmund. John Stones was going to present it until Haaland volunteered.
In addition to statements about comparisons with Lionel Messi and the possibility of breaking Alan Shearer’s scoring record in the Premier Leaguethe Norwegian spoke about how much last season hurt him.
“Of course, it’s not nice to lose games,” he said. “Losing the cup final, finishing third in the Premier League and being eliminated prematurely in the Champions League “It is not ideal for this club and we all know that we need to improve, be more stable and perform when it matters.”
Last season, the City he didn’t measure up too often. In addition to the FA Cup final defeat against Crystal Palace, which Haaland referenced, they also lost both home and away against Liverpool. Both matches ended 2-0, as Arne Slot’s team headed towards the title.
Amid all the changes at City, there has been one crucial constant. Guardiola dispelled doubts about his future last season by signing a contract extension until the summer of 2027. As Guardiola enters his 10th season as City manager, questions have been raised over whether he still retains the same energy and ambition he had when he arrived in 2016.
Gvardiol said he had no doubts.
“I think he is still the same as in the first season,” said the Croatian international. “He is still the one who wants to demand the most from us, the one who wants to train something new or work on certain aspects. That’s what we like to see, because when you see the coach full of enthusiasm, full of energy and eager to work, of course his energy infects us and we are also ready to fight.”
The last time City faced Liverpool was in February. That match came at the end of a month that had already left two defeats against the Real Madrid and a heavy 5-1 defeat against Arsenal. As expected, Guardiola spoke before the game with some trepidation.
Almost nine months later, his mood is completely different. It certainly helps that City have only lost one of their last 13 games. “Honestly, I am very excited and happy to prepare for Sunday’s game,” declared Guardiola after the victory against Dortmund. “I really want to play again on Sunday against Liverpool, and we’ll see what happens.”
It is a new opportunity for Guardiola and his players to show that the disastrous episode of last season is definitively in the past.
