Pep Guardiola has the rare opportunity to actually work with his Manchester City squad this week | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City squad are facing a rarity over the final weeks of the 24/25 season. With City out of the Champions League and the Carabao Cup, they only have the FA Cup and Premier League to focus on over the remainder of this season. Although this season hasn’t met Manchester City’s lofty standards it does give Guardiola a chance to work with his squad over the coming weeks. In a disappointing season that is something the City manager can use to his and his team’s advantage for this season and beyond.

Speaking after his team’s FA Cup fifth-round win over Plymouth Argyle, Pep Guardiola was asked about his plans now that he has more time to work with his team. Guardiola explained that although it has been a disappointing season for his team there is an opportunity to refresh and work on aspects of their game ahead of their clash with Nottingham Forest next weekend. Guardiola explained: “It’s quite new for us. In eight or nine years it never happened. That means we are not doing well. We are going to take time off to refresh. It’s about quality not, quantity. We are going to do training [for a] really important game against Forest. We will refresh things and practice things. Lift the rhythm. Normally when ,you play every three days you c,annot do that.”

Although it has been a disappointing season for Manchester City there is a chance now for Pep Guardiola to work this squad. The chance to further embed Nico, Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis into Guardiola’s style of play cannot be sneezed at. There is also the opportunity for City’s injured and fatigued players to get some rest. That should aid their chase to secure Champions League football for next season and hopefully have a lengthy FA Cup run.