Pep Guardiola explaining why the PL is more important than the UCL is still fascinating viewing
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are cruising unchecked to yet another Premier League title in 2022.
While Liverpool lurk ominously in the distance, you just can’t see this City side slipping up enough to leave the door ajar for the Reds.
Their frightfully comfortable meander to a 4-0 win over Norwich City was another reminder that they are simply in a different class at the moment.
In the Guardiola era, City have made domestic football something of a speciality, plundering silverware left, right and centre on English shores.
However, that imperious domestic dynasty simply hasn’t translated beyond the Channel, with City still yet to see any tangible success on their European conquests.
They came agonisingly close in 2021, missing out to Chelsea in the Champions League final but, if you ask Guardiola, that is of less import than what his team does with their bread and butter in the Premier League.
Appearing on a fascinating Monday Night Football special in 2018, Guardiola made it as clear as day that he prefers winning the English title.
In fact, Gary Neville hadn’t even finished his question by the time Pep had emphatically answered.
“Premier League. No doubt”, Pep began
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“It will be a huge mistake to think: ‘OK now we have the Premier League, we are now going to go for the Champions League instead’. Big mistake.
“To be out of the Champions League and win the Premier League again, I’d sign it now. The Premier League is the most important thing. It gives you the consistency to arrive at the right moment, the Champions League is so complicated the opponents are so good, all of them.
“The Premier League is the most important thing.”
No grey areas there, Pep.