Manchester Metropolis boss Pep Guardiola stated that he’s conscious of the monetary implications of failing to succeed in the Champions League knockout levels forward of Wednesday’s must-win sport in opposition to Membership Brugge.
Metropolis sit twenty fifth, outdoors the play-off spots, forward of their closing league section sport on the Etihad Stadium.
Solely the highest eight groups qualify immediately for the final 16 below the brand new format, whereas golf equipment ending ninth to twenty fourth will undergo to the play-offs.
The Premier League champions have reached the Champions League knockout levels each season since Guardiola took cost in 2016 and the Spaniard is conscious lacking out may have an effect on their enterprise within the switch market.
“Within the final two or three switch home windows, it’s all the time been optimistic. I’m not naive sufficient to not understand how essential it’s financially for the membership to undergo on this competitors,” Guardiola stated.
“It may possibly have an effect on the membership however, in fact, we wish to attempt to make it occur and undergo first for sporting causes.
“Within the final 5 or 6 years, the web spend at this membership has been wonderful. The membership stated, ‘OK the scenario is the scenario. If we wish to spend, we are able to spend. If not, we don’t spend.’”
Metropolis have already spent greater than £120m on ahead Omar Marmoush and defenders Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov this switch window.
An enormous #UCL night time on the Etihad pic.twitter.com/67NkILYUnT
— Manchester Metropolis (@ManCity) January 27, 2025
Guardiola’s facet had been overwhelmed 4-2 by Paris Saint-Germain of their final Champions League outing, leaving them with solely two wins and two attracts from seven matches.
Metropolis confronted 26 photographs from PSG, having confronted on common simply 8.3 photographs per sport of their earlier six matches within the event this season.
“We have now to win the sport and if not, then we gained’t proceed within the competitors. We wish to undergo to have one other likelihood to play one other two video games and qualify for the following stage,” the Metropolis supervisor stated.
“I admire your concern about not qualifying, however I feel we’re going to do it.”
Requested whether or not it might be embarrassing for his facet to not qualify for the play-offs, Guardiola stated: “Ask me after the sport.”
Metropolis beat Brugge 5-1 and 4-1 within the 2021-22 marketing campaign however Guardiola stated the Belgian facet are vastly completely different from the staff they performed three seasons in the past.
Brugge haven’t misplaced a sport in all competitions since late October and are twentieth within the standings, three factors above Metropolis. They’ve two wins and two attracts of their final 4 matches within the event.
“We want to rating a number of targets within the first 20 minutes, however I don’t assume that may occur,” Guardiola stated.
“I count on a tricky sport. When a staff are unbeaten, it’s as a result of they’re good, there’s no secret there. They’ve accomplished very well.
“It’s a closing for each of us, particularly for us.”
Metropolis are unbeaten of their final 33 Champions League matches at residence (W28 D5), though three of their final 4 have resulted in attracts.