MANCHESTER:
Pep Guardiola has won nine major trophies Manchester City but the Spaniard said his tenure at the Premier League club will define whether he delivers their first Premier League title.
Guardiola has won four League Cups, one FA Cup and four League Cups at City but European success has eluded the twice-winning manager as Barcelona manager, and the British club’s best finish is second place in 2021.
When asked if winning the cup with City would define his success in the eyes of the public, Guardiola told reporters: “Yes. I don’t mean I agree with that. , but in fact, we will be judged for that competition.
“It’s my first Champions League game here (in 2016), they asked, ‘Are you here to win the Champions League?’ If I was the manager for Real Madrid I could understand, but I accept. No matter what we go through, we can’t change that.”
City host RB Leipzig in the second leg of their last 16 tie on Tuesday after the first leg ended 1-1.
Guardiola also said that there is room to improve the overall game of striker Erling Haaland even though the Norwegian scored 34 goals this season. “I don’t like one player just scoring goals in the box. It’s important, we need him,” he said.
“But getting out of the opponent’s box where he can’t score, we need him to be stronger, we have to watch him and he has to participate in what we are doing. be better.”
Haaland has found Leipzig six times in his career. Despite his scoring slump after the start of this season, midfielder Kevin De Bruyne said the team was pleased with his performance.
“I feel like it’s the beginning of the season after everything and we won a lot of games and nothing happened, but when you lose a few points it’s different,” said a De Bruyne.
“I feel there is no problem. I haven’t heard anything coming from the team, from Erling or anyone else. People outside judge the way we play. Or other years. But in others game, Crystal Palace at home (where Haaland scored a hat-trick in a 4-2 win), for example, he won us the game.”
Haaland also scored the winner with a penalty at the House on Saturday
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