Manchester City: Pep Guardiola claims he will be regarded as a failure if they do not win Champions League
Pep Guardiola claims he will be regarded as a failure at Manchester City if he does not win the Champions League.
Guardiola has won five major trophies since taking charge at the Etihad Stadium in 2016, including two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and two EFL Cups.
As yet, however, they have been unable to transfer their domestic dominance onto the European stage.
City have not yet progressed beyond the quarter-finals under Guardiola, getting knocked out by Monaco, Liverpool and Tottenham in the Spaniard's last three campaigns.
Guardiola won the competition twice at Barcelona but could not repeat that at Bayern Munich. His tenure at the German club was consequently considered a disappointment in some quarters, despite him winning three successive Bundesliga crowns.
He said: "We will, of course, not just be judged on the way we play but the titles we win. That is the truth. It is as simple as that.
"Last year was an extraordinary one for us but people say, 'But you didn't win the Champions League'.
"That is why I will be judged, if we don't win it in my final period here, that I will be a failure here. I know that.
"But I enjoy working with my players and my players still win a lot of games. Winning a certain way is what helps you to win the titles a and we believe we can play that way. We will see at the end."
City are 22 points behind Liverpool and after their defeat to Tottenham on Sunday, admits the focus is on other competitions.
"They are far away, they are unstoppable and a lot of points (clear)," he said. "Of course now it is to target other competitions and qualify for the Champions League next season.
"Two seasons ago when we had 100 points we finished 19 points clear of United and in that period Liverpool were strong.
"The team is good and I like the way my team play but it is not enough, we are far away and the distance is so big and it is the reality.
"The last two seasons it was a guy, the owner of the Premier League, who said that can't happen again and it isn't good for the Premier League when City win the title in that way.
"So now it is Liverpool you have to be concerned about (if you are) the owner of the Premier League."