Speaking ahead of the Champions League final, coach Pep Guardiola stated that the most important thing in football is effort, not success or failure.
In an interview with UEFA on June 6th, Guardiola acknowledged that Man City had to beat Inter in the match on June 10th. "We can't deny that. But the most important thing is to keep trying and not give up," he said. "We reached the final two years ago and lost. But two years later, Man City has reached the final to compete for the championship, and that is proof of a great team."
Coach Pep Guardiola during the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, on May 17, 2023. Photo: Reuters
When asked what motivated him to bring Man City back to the final after two years, the Spanish coach added: "In football, there is no failure. Admitting defeat is like saying the opponent is worthless or didn't play well. When we win, we can celebrate, but we must be restrained. When we lose, we can cry a little and then go back to training the next day. If we try hard, we never fail."
Guardiola has led teams to 10 Champions League semi-finals, and he is about to reach his fourth final. When asked about the defeats, the 52-year-old coach said: "What was unfair to me was fair to Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, or Barca. The Champions League has given me heartbreaking defeats that I will never forget. But this tournament also has beautiful memories that I will cherish forever. That's football; we can be hungry, but we mustn't be greedy."
Man City will face Inter on Saturday evening, June 10th, at the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul, Türkiye, with the goal of completing a treble. But Guardiola believes the team's preparation will be no different from previous matches. "We will approach the game in the same way we do in midweek matches, ensuring the players stay focused and don't think about anything else," added the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach.
Man City have a great chance to win the Champions League for the first time, as do players like Erling Haaland, Kevin de Bruyne, Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva, and Ilkay Gundogan. The current Man City squad only has one player who has won the Champions League before: reserve goalkeeper Scott Carson with Liverpool 18 years ago.
Hoang An
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