Guardiola: Man City must adapt to opponents´ lack of fear factor

Pep Guardiola warned Manchester City will not qualify for the Champions League, unless they adapt to their opponents’ lack of intimidation towards them.

Reigning Premier League champions City have endured a torrid 2024-25 campaign, epitomised by a recent run of just one win from 13 matches across all competitions.

That has left Guardiola’s side in fifth place and 12 points adrift of leaders Liverpool in the English top flight.

Their latest setback came in the Champions League in midweek, when they surrendered a 2-0 advantage before losing 4-2 to Paris Saint-Germain at Parc des Princes.

Elimination from Europe’s premier club competition is now a real possibility for the 25th-place Citizens, who must beat Club Brugge in their final league-phase game to stand any chance of progressing to the knockout round play-offs.

Guardiola conceded opponents demonstrate less of a fear factor when playing his side, who face Chelsea this weekend, which is epitomised by their willingness to press them more often.

A trademark @KevinDeBruyne strike against Chelseapic.twitter.com/ZRK8WDiSwQ

— Manchester City (@ManCity) January 24, 2025

“Everyone came to the Etihad and stayed back,” he told reporters during his pre-match press conference. “The first team I saw man-marking was Neil Warnock at Cardiff [City]. Now, everyone does it. Everyone comes here, it doesn’t matter, man to man.

“They just jump to Ederson or Stefan [Ortega]. You have to adapt, do it better with the ball, otherwise you are not qualifying for the Champions League.

“Our problem is with the ball. This season, it is what we have missed. If you have the ball and don’t pass properly to your mate, everything is so difficult.”

Guardiola feels securing qualification for next season’s Champions League would represent success for City, given the challenges they have faced this term.

The Citizens have been greatly affected by the long-term absence of Rodri in midfield through injury, while they will welcome Chelsea with only one fit central defender – excluding new signings Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov.

And the Spaniard empathises with Jose Mourinho’s claim that one of his greatest achievements was finishing second behind his City side with Manchester United in the 2017-18 Premier League campaign.

“There are seasons when there are a lot of difficulties,” Guardiola added. “How do you stand up? How do you stay there?

“I remember Jose. I don’t know the reality of United, but he said many times finishing second in that season was his biggest success. I understand completely.”