Pep is losing control.

Just when confidence seemed to be returning to the Etihad Stadium, manager Pep Guardiola and his players once again plunged Manchester City fans into despair.

Coach Guardiola is increasingly disappointing the fans - Photo: REUTERS

At 2 AM on May 21st (Vietnam time), Man City will host Bournemouth in the late match of the 37th round of the Premier League.

A bleak future

The importance of this match needs no further explanation. Hosting Bournemouth in round 37 and visiting Fulham in the final round will be two crucial games that will determine the future of Man City. And also the future of manager Pep Guardiola.

With 65 points, Man City are currently ranked 6th, but they have a game in hand in round 37. A win would put Man City back in 3rd place, but even then they would only be 2 points ahead of 6th-placed Aston Villa. Even a win against Bournemouth could see Man City drop out of the top 5 if they lose to Fulham in the final round.

Qualifying for the Champions League is crucial for all the big clubs, especially in the context of increasing pressure from Financial Fair Play regulations. The difference between qualifying for the Champions League and not qualifying can amount to hundreds of millions of euros.

Let's take Manchester City and Manchester United as a simple example this season. Despite reaching the Europa League final, Manchester United only received around 25 million euros in prize money, while Manchester City received three times that amount (almost 80 million euros) even though they were eliminated in the Champions League play-off round.

Man City tightened their spending in the summer of 2024. But then poor results forced them to once again pour money into the transfer market, spending a staggering €212 million on four players in January. Guardiola turns out not to be as stable as fans thought. If he fails to qualify for the Champions League, Man City will be in real danger.

Is manager Pep Guardiola losing control? - Photo: REUTERS

The mysterious dark cloud hanging over Pep

There was a time when Pep Guardiola believed he had led Man City out of crisis. That was from the end of February, after Man City were eliminated from the Champions League by Real Madrid. With almost only the Premier League left, Guardiola and his team focused entirely on reviving their domestic league.

The winter signings have gradually proven their worth, with Marmoush consistently scoring goals and Nico Gonzalez having a series of starts from February to April. Even Khusanov, a young Uzbek center-back, has shown steady progress with a streak of six consecutive starts immediately after joining the team.

But Guardiola once again left fans bewildered by his incomprehensible decisions. Khusanov, who was gradually adapting to English football, suddenly disappeared from mid-March until now. The Uzbekistani central defender hasn't played a single minute in the past two months, despite John Stones being injured.

Nico Gonzalez also suddenly "disappeared" from the starting lineup at the end of April. Before that, the Argentinian midfielder had played very consistently, helping Man City achieve a winning streak in the Premier League. But at the crucial moment, Pep didn't trust him.

In the FA Cup final, manager Guardiola chose to use De Bruyne and Silva as the central midfield pairing. This was a disappointing decision for fans, as both players are primarily attacking stars. In contrast, Gonzalez was seen as a capable replacement for Rodri.

Marmoush hasn't lost his place, but the Egyptian striker is gradually becoming a victim of Pep's inconsistent player selection. When Haaland suffered a serious injury in early April, Marmoush was deployed as a central striker, a position that is his forte.

And he scored in his very first game against Leicester. But then he was moved back to the wing in subsequent games to make way for De Bruyne to play as a false striker. When Haaland returned, Marmoush was even moved to play as an attacking midfielder, while De Bruyne dropped to... defensive midfielder.

With his baffling decisions, constant complaining, and noisy press conferences, Pep Guardiola is truly losing the composure of a world-class strategist.

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HUY DANG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/pep-dang-mat-kiem-soat-20250520104716549.htm