Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted that teams are no longer intimidated by his side, leading to a significant shift in tactics and increased difficulty in their Champions League campaign.
Guardiola observed that opponents have increasingly adopted man-marking strategies, a tactic he first encountered against Neil Warnock’s Cardiff City.
“Everyone comes here, it doesn’t matter, man-to-man,” he lamented. “They just jump on (City’s goalkeepers) Ederson or Stefan (Ortega). You have to adapt, you have to be better with the ball, otherwise you will not qualify for the Champions League.”
While acknowledging City’s recent struggles, including a 4-2 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, Guardiola emphasized that their problems stem more from ineffective ball possession than a lack of physicality.
“Our problem is with the ball. That is what we have been lacking this season,” he stated. “When you have the ball and you don’t pass it properly to your partner, everything is so difficult.”
Despite the arrival of new signings like Omar Marmoush, Guardiola stressed the importance of improving passing accuracy and adapting to the changing tactics of their opponents.
City currently sits fifth in the Premier League, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool, and faces a crucial clash against fourth-placed Chelsea this weekend.
Guardiola remains determined to guide City back to the top four and qualify for the Champions League, an achievement he believes is as significant as winning a trophy given the team’s recent challenges, including injuries to key players like Rodri and defensive vulnerabilities.
