Guardiola says Champions League qualification ‘like a title’ for Man City | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has said securing Champions League qualification is like winning ‘a title’ for Manchester City.

The Citizens won 2-0 at Fulham on the final day to seal their place in next season’s competition. Ilkay Gundogan’s brilliant goal and an Erling Haaland penalty secured the points in West London, as City ended the 2024/25 campaign third in the table.

Despite failing to defend their Premier League title this season, Guardiola said he was proud of his players’ efforts. He said securing Champions League football feels like a title given the club’s comeback from a torrid run of form in the winter.

“It was in our hands and we did our job. It’s been a tough year but we never gave up,” Guardiola said to BBC’s Match of the Day.

“I’m very proud and pleased for the team. Now we will recover and next season will be better.

On booking their place in the Champions League next season, Guardiola added: “It’s like a title [because of] the obstacles. When you continue [a run of poor form] you finish 10th, 11th, 12th or 13th.

“This is the destiny of all the teams in the Premier League when they are in November, December or January and you cannot fight for the Premier League, like you have done for many years.

“People can say ‘I don’t want to fight again, just to qualify for the Europa League’. We continued playing good and we were there [in position to seal Champions League qualification] and we did it.

“At the end we finished third, not miles away from Arsenal, but the distance to Liverpool is huge. We have to improve and hopefully we can do it.”

Read – Confirmation of European places after Premier League final weekend

See more – Choosing every Premier League team’s Player of the Season

Follow The Football Faithful on Social Media:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | TikTok