Man City Will Be Better, Stronger Next Season – Guardiola

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola is confident that the team will bounce back from their poor showing next season ahead of their FA Cup clash against Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

The defending champions have endured a disappointing campaign in the Premier League, and in Europe.

Guardiola’s men are 18 points behind table-toppers Liverpool and they crashed out of the Champions League in the playoff round to Real Madrid.

They exited the Carabao Cup in the fourth round while battling with the likes of Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United, and Chelsea in the race to qualify for the Champions League.

The FA Cup remains their only chance of winning a trophy this season, and Guardiola is confident that the team will return to competing for trophies next season.

He said: ” “There are reasons we dropped too much, and I have the feeling next year we’ll be better, we’ll compete better and be more who we are,” Pep asserted.

“I’m not saying we will win the Premier League, arrive in the latter stages, of the FA Cup League Cup, Champions League, I’m not talking about that because we don’t have holidays, and I don’t know how we will react.

“But I know the players realise what we have to do to be a decent team.

“Aston Villa came here with their last 11 games, won 10. In Villa Park v PSG was, what a way to defeat, it happened to us sometimes in the Champions League like we did against Real Madrid for example or against Tottenham.

“It is in our hands and we have an opportunity to be three in a row in the final of the FA Cup. Hopefully, we can do it.

“You feel when you’re there how good they are. We compete, we didn’t concede much and were stable with a good spirit.

“We had a good spirit, passion and desire, forget tactics, think about this humble behaviour to defend your club.

“I’m pretty sure we had it and we’ll have it again, because I know the players.”

Man City will be taking on Nottingham Forest in the semi-final on Sunday, and Guardiola has hailed Nuno Espirito-Santo, who is on the verge of qualifying them for the Champions League.

He said: “He has been incredible, qualifying for the Europa League with Wolves and now with Nottingham Forest.

“He has done a really good job.The guys have good skills, and I admire that they defend well and have a good spirit.

“They have the transition with top, top players up front. The owner invests with top, top players. The results are here.”

Nottingham Forest have been in the Premier League top five all season, and they are also on course to making a return to the Champions League, a competition they have won twice.

Man City will be playing in a record seventh successive semi-final in the FA Cup on Sunday, while they are also targeting a third straight final.