‘We have a lot of money to buy a lot of incredible players’: Pep Guardiola explains Man City’s success

Wednesday night’s Champions League victory over Borussia Monchengladbach made it 19-successive wins in all competitions for Guardiola’s team

Sports Staff
Thursday 25 February 2021 08:45 GMT
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola (AP)

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Pep Guardiola has joked that the main reason behind Manchester City's winning run is their financial backing and the players they can then afford to buy.

Wednesday night’s Champions League victory over Borussia Monchengladbach made it 19-successive wins in all competitions for Guardiola’s team.

Bernardo Silva and Gabriel Jesus scored either side of half-time against their Bundesliga opponents to give the Premier League leaders one foot in the quarter-finals.

When asked how his team have strung such a good run of form together he said: "We have a lot of money to buy a lot of incredible players.

"It is true. Without good quality players, we cannot do it. The humanity of this group... the players are fantastic and have an incredible relationship. They play every game to think just win that game.

"Today, enjoy the night and then think about West Ham. When people talk about the second leg, the second leg is in three weeks so now the next target is West Ham. That is all I am concerned with."

Despite what was a comfortable win in Budapest, Guardiola wasn't entirely pleased with what he saw from his side.

"In general we played really well but we were not clinical enough up front," he added.

"The actions one against one - with the keeper, with the defenders - we have to be more clinical. You have to finish the action, at least make the keeper make a save and we didn't do it.

"We created a lot of chances, we arrived in final third, the process was good, but have to finish better. In this competition you have to improve.

"In the Premier League we can drop points, we have a margin, but in this competition you don't have that chance. We have to be better.

"I know we have the quality to do it - I am not concerned about this - but, when you ask me my opinion on the game, if there was something I would like to improve it would be that."

Joao Cancelo was again outstanding, curling in a superb cross for Silva's opener and sending another fine delivery into the box in the build-up to Jesus' strike.

Guardiola said: "He drives with the ball and at the central defenders. He is a player with a huge quality and his physicality is overwhelming.

"If we played another game tomorrow he would be ready to play. In the final third, he was brilliant. Two beautiful goals."

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