Pep Guardiola has congratulated newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool but warned the Reds that it won’t be easy to repeat the feat and retain the title.
Manchester City were otherwise engaged on Sunday, booking their place in the FA Cup final with a win over Nottingham Forest at Wembley while Liverpool concluded a title race in which Guardiola’s defending champions ultimately played little part.
Speaking to the media after their victory, the City boss and six-time Premier League winner congratulated Liverpool before issuing a subtle challenge and a warning that he doesn’t intend to let City fall short again next year.
“Just a moment before I start,” said Guardiola at the beginning of his press conference at the national stadium.
“On behalf of myself and all the club, we want to congratulate Liverpool Football Club for their Premier League victory.
“Well deserved, no doubt about that. Fantastic team.”
But one year is one year. Guardiola has mastered the art of doing it all over again and isn’t letting anyone at Liverpool forget that City’s absence from title races is, mostly, a thing of the past.
“Like it happened the last four years [for City] they’re going to [try to] retain the title and hopefully next season we can be better to compete until the end and this season it could not be possible.
“So, Liverpool, congratulations.”
Arne Slot and Pep Guardiola (Image: Getty)
The Reds last won the title in 2019-20 and Guardiola has been the manager at the top of the pile at the final whistle of every season in between.
Liverpool can put their feet up once their celebrations let up but City have plenty left to play for at the end of this season.
Qualification for next season’s Champions League is a bare minimum but the FA Cup final does at least offer some chance of salvation at the end of an often miserable campaign.
City will take on Crystal Palace at Wembley in the middle of May. They’ve won the Cup twice under Guardiola and a third would be cause for celebration despite the season as a whole falling well short of expectations.
Arne Slot and Liverpool will be well aware of the threat posed by a fired-up Guardiola and City in 2025-26.
Featured Image Credit: Beanyman
Topics: Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Manchester City, Liverpool, Pep Guardiola
