Pep Guardiola has described Manchester City’s bid to qualify for the Champions League as “massive” as he challenged his stars to prove their worth.
City’s underwhelming campaign will end without silverware following their 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the final of the FA Cup.
They will now turn their attention to securing a spot in Europe’s showpiece tournament with their fate still in their hands.
One final home game 👑
🤝 #AsahiSuperDry pic.twitter.com/gLKVGf0ZF6
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 18, 2025
Victories in their final games of the Premier League season, at home to Bournemouth on Tuesday and at Fulham next weekend, will be enough to secure a place in the top five.
However, City will head into their next match at the Etihad outside of the qualification spots in sixth, albeit with a game in hand over their rivals.
Asked to quantify the importance of being in the Champions League, Guardiola said: “It is obvious. Ask the same question to Arsenal, or Chelsea, or Nottingham Forest or Newcastle. Of course it is important. It is massive.
“We have to come back and we have to recover quickly. Yes, it is better to play against Bournemouth having won the FA Cup because victories help winning, but now we have to prove how strong we are.
“And from my point of view, we have two massively important games for the short-term future of this club.”
City started this season bidding to win a fifth consecutive Premier League title. It would have appeared unfathomable that they would end the season scrambling for a Champions League spot.
Ruben Dias continued: “These last two games are like two massive finals, and they mean everything to us.
“We will feel however we have to feel today (after City’s defeat to Palace), but tomorrow wake up strong and ready to go again.
“We controlled the game, and had a lot of chances but we didn’t turn those chances into goals, and we only have ourselves to blame. We must do better.”
