Pep Guardiola stated that Manchester City had not performed as they did in the 5-2 victory against Juventus for quite some time. He also extended his best wishes to Kevin De Bruyne for his move to Antonio Conte`s Napoli, calling it a “special club with one of the best coaches of all time.”
The Citizens needed a win to finish atop their group in the FIFA Club World Cup, having already secured qualification for the Round of 16 alongside the Bianconeri, after both teams defeated Wydad and Al-Ain.
The match in Orlando was largely one-sided, with Manchester City emerging as convincing 5-2 victors. Their winning margin could have been even larger were it not for several saves by Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio.
Guardiola on Rediscovering City`s Form
“Of course, I am satisfied; we beat a team that had played two excellent matches prior to this one,” Guardiola told Italian channel Mediaset.
“Juventus are always Juventus, but we hadn`t played like this in a significant period. We continue to believe we had a good squad last season, but we suffered an incredible number of injuries. However, we have now rediscovered our identity. There is still a path ahead; we must focus on hard work rather than just talking.”
“Although we won the two previous games in the group, I didn`t have the same feeling about our performance. We need to rediscover our identity; winning or not is secondary. The key is to find ourselves again.”
Erling Haaland was initially rested on the bench but scored immediately upon entering the game in the second half, albeit somewhat fortunate as it bundled over the line.
“This player scores goals, but he must be aware that there is also competition for spots,” Guardiola cautioned.
“Omar Marmoush played well. Everyone must give their absolute maximum effort, otherwise, it will be tough for everyone.”
Guardiola`s Message to De Bruyne
Manchester City parted ways with Kevin De Bruyne this summer by opting not to offer him a new contract. Consequently, he is embarking on a new chapter as a free agent with Conte`s Napoli.
“I have immense affection for him. The success we achieved over these years would not have been possible without his contribution,” Guardiola noted.
“It was an exceptionally difficult decision. I wish him nothing but the best. He is heading to a truly special club with one of football`s greatest coaches. Antonio consistently knows how to get the best out of his players. I sincerely wish Kevin all the very best and much happiness.”
