Man City boss Pep Guardiola admits Champions League desperation ahead of Liverpool clash

Pep Guardiola sets course for what he hopes will be a fifth Carabao Cup trophy when Manchester City’s season restarts against holders Liverpool at the Etihad tonight. But the City boss has admitted that it is the Champions League he really wants to land to “complete” his time as manager at the club.

Guardiola spoke for the first time since signing a two-year extension to his contract which could see him stay at the club until the summer of 2025. And while another Carabao Cup before he departs, to go with the four consecutive trophies landed between 2018 and 2021 is probably odds on, it is the biggest cup of all that is the itch that needs scratching.

“The Champions League is not the only one but I admit it is the trophy we want and my period here would not be complete if we don’t win it,” he said. “That is not the only reason I have signed a new contract but I will do everything in the time we have together.

“It’s the trophy we don’t have and we’ll try to do it. I have the feeling they’ll get it sooner or later, we’ve tried in the past, even in the first season even though out in last 16, we will try with all our strength.”

Neither City nor Liverpool look likely to be at full strength tonight with the hangover from the World Cup still clinging to those players who were in Qatar. Yet counter intuitively Guardiola believes the players who were reached the crunch stages of FIFA’s extravaganza could be in a better shape and rhythm than the ones who missed out.

City remain without World Cup winner Julian Alvarez, not due back until just before the new year, Ederson who is back in “a few days” and the England and Portugal players who only returned to training yesterday. Others who were involved in the knockout stages including Rodri, Aymeric Laporte, Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake returned on Sunday.

“Maybe some players will need a little bit more time, maybe they will fatigue in March and April, but I’m not able to know it yet. Just have to see today, tomorrow and in the next games,” said Guardiola.

“I have the feeling that those who were at the World Cup are in better condition than players who weren’t. Players who didn’t go lack the rhythm maybe.

“The ones who came back from Qatar have been competing and trained every day. Players who were not at the world cup can get the rhythm tomorrow so we have to do it with what we have.”