Pep Guardiola: Manchester City are 'at risk' of failing to qualify for UEFA Champions League amid slump in form
Updated 26/12/2024 at 09:46 GMT
Manchester City have won just one of their last eight Premier League fixtures and are currently seventh in the table. Their disastrous run of form has led Pep Guardiola to believe that the defending champions of England may not qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League - a competition they won just two seasons ago. Guardiola's side face Everton at Etihad Stadium on Boxing Day.
Man City 'now at risk' of missing Champions League - Guardiola
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Pep Guardiola insists Manchester City are "at risk" of not qualifying for the UEFA Champions League if their disastrous run of form continues.
The Catalan coach's side are seventh in the Premier League table ahead of their Boxing Day clash with Everton at Etihad Stadium.
City have won just one of their last eight league fixtures and are four points off the top four ahead of the match.
Guardiola believes the competitiveness of English football's top flight means that clubs can go from competing for the title to struggling to qualify for Europe in no time at all.
"When I said before, people laughed," said Guardiola. "They said, 'qualifying for the Champions League is not a big success'.
"But I know it because it happens with clubs in this country. They were dominant for many years, and after they were many years not qualifying for the Champions League."
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"The one team that has been in the Champions League for the past years has been Manchester City. Now we are at risk, of course we are. Definitely."
City have not missed out on a place in the Champions League since the 2009/10 campaign, when they finished fifth.
They are 12 points behind league leaders Liverpool, having fallen to a 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa in their last match.
Nottingham Forest currently occupy fourth spot and, with Villa and Bournemouth both currently above City in the league table, Guardiola believes the race for the Champions League is still too close to call.
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"There are a lot of contenders," he added. "For every club, it is so important and if we are not winning games, we will be out.
"If we don't qualify it is because we don't deserve it, because we were not prepared and because we had a lot of problems and didn't solve them."
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