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Pep Guardiola says he’s ‘not fascinated by’ failing to achieve the knockout stage of the Champions League as he prepares for a must-win recreation in opposition to Membership Brugge.
The 2023 champions have had a poor first marketing campaign within the new-look format and go into Wednesday’s remaining day in twenty fifth place.
The groups from ninth to twenty fourth go right into a play-off spherical so defeat in opposition to the Belgian aspect would imply an finish to their European season.
Statisticians Opta give Metropolis a 63.8% likelihood of qualifying – whereas Brugge are 93.9% more likely to progress.
PEP 💬 (On John Stones) He performed 35 minutes [against Chelsea] and performed rather well. We’ll see at the moment how he feels. pic.twitter.com/Z0v7FF2heD
— Manchester Metropolis (@ManCity) January 28, 2025
Guardiola stated: “The scenario we have now, we have now to win the sport and if not then we received’t proceed in competitors and we wish to undergo to have one other likelihood to play one other two video games and qualify for the subsequent stage.
“It’s not an issue it’s a chance, a problem and we are going to face it.
“For the membership it might not be good to not qualify however I’m not fascinated by that proper now. I do know for all of the folks involved whether or not we are going to qualify or not, I’m considering we’re going to do it.”
Metropolis have been massive spenders within the January market, spending round £125m on Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis, however Guardiola says he doesn’t know the way failing to progress in Europe would have an effect on the membership financially.
“I don’t know,” he stated. “I didn’t converse with the CEO about that.
“Within the final two or three switch home windows it’s at all times been constructive. I’m not naïve sufficient to not know the way necessary it’s financially for the membership to undergo on this competitors – it will probably have an effect on the membership however after all we wish to attempt to make it occur and undergo first for sport causes.
“Within the final 5 or 6 years the online spend at this membership has been wonderful. The membership stated OK ,the scenario is the scenario, if we wish to spend we are able to spend and if not we don’t spend.”
