Pep Guardiola has said building a new team at Manchester City isn’t the “biggest challenge” of his career.
Guardiola has won 18 trophies, including six Premier League titles and a Champions League, since joining City in 2016. However, the club have endured a spectacular fall this season.
They are fourth in the Premier League, 20 points behind leaders Liverpool, and have endured early exits in the Carabao Cup and Champions League. Guardiola’s side have lost as many games in the league (8) this season as they did in the last two years put together.
City spent £180m ($223m) in the January transfer window to replenish their squad, signing Omar Marmoush, Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov. With an average age of 21.6 years, the arrivals are expected to be key members of the next phase of Guardiola’s project.
When asked if ushering in a new era at the Etihad is the biggest challenge of his career, Guardiola said: “No. We have done it already.
“After nine years, it is not the same team we started with nine years ago. We have done it two or three times already. It is not the biggest challenge.
“The challenge I had is when I was starting my managerial career with my staff. I proved myself and my staff proved we can do it.”
Guardiola’s career in management began at Barcelona in 2008. He came into the role after only a year in charge of Barcelona B under his belt. Despite his lack of experience, he implemented a dazzling, possession-based brand of football that saw Barça win the treble in debut campaign.
He went on to win 14 trophies with Barça, before a similarly silverware-laden spell at Bayern Munich. The 54-year-old went trophyless in his first season at City — the only one of his career so far — but has since heralded in an unprecedented era of success a the club.
Kevin De Bruyne has been a key architect in City’s success over the past decade. But, the Belgium international has struggled for form and game-time this year. His future at the club remains uncertain, with his contract up at the end of the season.
“He is an exceptional player. He was and still is. What is going to happen is mainly between him and the club,” Guardiola said of the 33-year-old.
