The nightmare continues for Manchester City. With their 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa, the Citizens recorded a ninth loss in 12 games, a figure which illustrates the depth of the crisis experienced by the reigning champion. Pep Guardiola, however, refuses to give in to discouragement. While he recognizes the scale of the challenge, his post-match speech is full of combativeness and hope.
Guardiola: “The solution is to find my players”
Asked what he could do differently to get out of this negative spiral, Guardiola responded bluntly:
“I have to do it, yes. But what I need is to get my players back.” With a squad decimated by injuries, the Catalan coach believes that this instability directly harms the performance of his team: “We only have one fit central defender, and it’s more difficult in these conditions.”
Guardiola does not look for excuses but points out the concrete obstacles: a reduced squad and wavering confidence.
“I have incredible confidence in these guys, some of them have immense pride and the desire to succeed. We must, I must, find a solution, step by step.”
Reasons for hope for Citizens
Despite the defeat, Guardiola was keen to highlight the positive aspects: “We played a very good first half, apart from a mistake at the start of the match. But in the second half we went down.” His words show that he maintains faith in his team while recognizing the current shortcomings.
Guardiola explains after the wreck.
This determination is shared by Erling Haaland, one of the rare players to display regularity this season. The Norwegian was keen to support his trainer: “He won the Premier League six times in seven years. We will never forget it. He will find solutions, as he always has. We have to work harder than ever.”
Guardiola faces an unprecedented challenge
For Guardiola, the immediate objective is clear: stabilize the team and hope for a return of key players. But the road will be long, and each defeat increases the pressure on his shoulders. His ability to turn challenges into success, which has made him famous, will once again be put to the test in the weeks to come.
