After going 17 games without a loss, City now has a critical stretch of games in three different tournaments.
As they battle on three fronts, Pep Guardiola has stated that his Manchester City team is enjoying the “decisive part of the season.”
Following a treble-winning season the previous year, City is still hoping to replicate that achievement. They lead their Champions League quarterfinal match against Copenhagen ahead of the second leg in Manchester, and they lead the Premier League by just one point above Liverpool.
For now, though, attention is on the FA Cup, where City will play Luton on Tuesday night in hopes of advancing to the quarterfinals.
As the season’s business end approaches, Guardiola’s team is enjoying a 17-match unbeaten streak and appears to be back on track.
In addition to their cup matches, City’s March schedule includes games against Arsenal and Liverpool, the Manchester derby, and a trip to Brighton.
Guardiola remarked, “Next month helps us to still have another month.”It will specify whether we have to play for the crowns for an additional month. Nothing is defined by it.
“Yeah, we may forfeit the crowns. But what would happen if we kept winning? We do not dwell on the worst-case possibilities in our heads. It’s the idea that while you can train your mind to believe something negative, you can also train it to believe something positive.
“Tomorrow’s match against Luton is a final, just as every Premier League and Champions League match. The season’s pivotal period is already here and just around the corner. We intend to succeed.
In an attempt to highlight his players’ fatigue, Guardiola likened a trip to Brentford earlier this month to “going to the dentist without anaesthetic.”
Even if the schedule is demanding, the City manager is happy that there is so much at stake.
Guardiola declared, “It’s better to play for that than to be 10th in the table.” It’s wonderful to play every game with the knowledge that a loss means you have to move on.
I love to stand up for my players because I understand how challenging it can be. It is not what we did in the most recent season, but rather in the previous five.
“We receive a ton of praise and other things, but we never lose our competitive spirit or sense of humility and want to do it again.”