Pep Guardiola believes an English team can win the Champions League this season and does not accept that the intensity of the Premier League is a bar to progress in Europe. “Why not, there are going to be five English teams in the last 16,” the Manchester City manager said.
“We are already there and so are Tottenham. Manchester United are nearly there, I don’t see Liverpool missing out and although Chelsea’s last two results have not been so good I think they will be there too.”
City have a perfect record of four wins from four in the Champions League this season, the last a convincing 4-2 win away to the Serie A leaders, Napoli, and with his side unbeaten in the Premier League and five points clear at the top, Guardiola is already fielding questions about a possible treble.
He is one of a select group of coaches who has already performed that feat, in his first season at Barcelona in 2008-09, though he strongly advises against setting sights too high at this stage of the season. “To win a treble is an exceptional situation,” he said. “Barcelona did it twice. United did it. Inter Milan with Mourinho, Bayern Munich with Jupp Heynckes, Celtic a long time ago.
“We are still only in November and it is too early to talk of winning the league, never mind anything else. It would be a big mistake to think now in terms of winning a treble, it is something that can only happen if you have played well all season and are still going strong in April and May.
“But my feeling is that all five English teams will make the knockout stage and that is the first real good step. That is the best news when comparing to previous years for English football.
“If there are five teams then there is more chance to win the Champions League and maybe doubles and trebles and I don’t think the English challenge is going to suffer because of the intensity of the Premier League. I don’t believe in that. I believe that when you play better you win the games. It’s not the intensity.”
City take on Arsenal at the Etihad on Sunday afternoon, and regardless of the fact that Arsène Wenger’s side have been a fading force in the league for more than a decade since their Invincibles season in 2003-04, Guardiola generously views them as fellow title contenders. “Of course I see Arsenal as a rival,” he said. “They won the FA Cup last season and beat us on the way.
“We had a good night in Europe in midweek, everyone enjoyed their dinner that little bit more after beating Napoli, the next training session was better too, but now our job is to focus on the next league game. I am looking forward to trying to prove ourselves against one of the best teams around and the result could be important because either Manchester United or Chelsea will drop points on the same day.”
When City lost to Arsenal at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final the winning goal was scored by Alexis Sánchez, a player Guardiola coveted in the summer, though no business took place and for now it is not a matter for discussion. “He is an Arsenal player and the transfer window is closed,” Guardiola said, in effect shutting down the debate, though the feeling remains City retain an interest that may resurface in January. Whether they need another attacking player is much more debatable.
Sergio Agüero has just broken the club’s all-time scoring record, Raheem Sterling has acquired a cutting edge, Gabriel Jesus remains fit and behind them all are the undroppable David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne.
The curse of Rodney Marsh – a big-money signing in March 1972, when Malcolm Allison’s City led the table by four points, only for them to finish fourth – may return if Guardiola tinkers at this stage, though for now he is merely viewing Sánchez as a dangerous opponent.
“We have to try and make sure he doesn’t get the ball, along with watching out for [Aaron] Ramsey arriving in the box and being alert to the movement of [Alexandre] Lacazette,” he said.
“Arsenal are contenders. A nine-point gap at this stage of the season is nothing, and I don’t care how many years they have gone without winning a title. Look at Leicester. How many years did they go without winning the league, then suddenly no one could stop them. Football is always fascinating, you have to prove yourself every day.”