Manchester City Back on Track as Guardiola Eyes Champions League Progress

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes his team is regaining form ahead of their crucial Champions League clash against PSG, with Phil Foden leading the charge and showcasing his natural goal-scoring ability.

Guardiola Confident Ahead of PSG Clash

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is optimistic that his team will rise to the occasion in their crucial Champions League matchup against Paris Saint-Germain. This confidence boost comes after City's morale-boosting 6-0 thrashing of Ipswich, which helped to rebuild their shattered morale.

Guardiola's side currently sits in 22nd place in the 36-team Champions League table, with only two games remaining. PSG is also struggling, trailing City by one point in 25th place. The stakes are high, as the top 24 clubs will advance to the knockout stages, with the top eight automatically qualifying for the last 16 and the teams ranked ninth to 24th facing a play-off.

Fortunately, City was able to warm up for the highly anticipated clash with a convincing 6-0 win over Ipswich, their largest Premier League victory since defeating Nottingham Forest by the same scoreline in 2022. Phil Foden scored twice, while Mateo Kovacic, Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku, and James McAtee also found the back of the net at Portman Road on Sunday.

Guardiola Looks Ahead to PSG Clash

Manchester City's dominance over Ipswich allowed manager Pep Guardiola to make several key substitutions in the second half, keeping players like Phil Foden, Erling Haaland, Mateo Kovacic, Kevin De Bruyne, and Manuel Akanji fresh for the upcoming PSG game. Guardiola admitted that he had one eye on the Paris matchup, saying, “After four or five nil I had my eye on Paris.”

Guardiola emphasized the importance of securing points in their remaining two Champions League games, stating, “We have two finals left, by winning two we qualify, winning one there's a big possibility.” He acknowledged that City had created their own problems, particularly in their matches against Feyenoord and in Lisbon. However, he expressed hope that the team could build on their current momentum, saying, “But in that moment we had a lot of problems. We could not compete the way we want for many reasons. Hopefully we can continue in Paris for the next game.”

Starting off in style! 🤩@PhilFoden's opener against Ipswich is our @Sure Move of the Match! 👌 pic.twitter.com/7PW27QKx6j

— Manchester City (@ManCity) January 20, 2025

City's Champions League campaign has been marked by inconsistency this season, a trend that has also been reflected in their Premier League performance, where they trail leaders Liverpool by 12 points. Last season, City bowed out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals, losing to Real Madrid on penalties. Having won the Champions League for the first time in 2023, City is eager to regain their footing in the competition.

Manchester City's Resurgence

Manchester City's Champions League campaign has been marred by disappointing results, including a 4-1 loss to Sporting Lisbon, a 3-3 draw with Feyenoord, and a 2-0 defeat to Juventus. These setbacks have left City clinging to a top-24 spot, a far cry from their dominant form in recent years. However, their convincing 6-0 win over Ipswich has provided a much-needed boost, with manager Pep Guardiola suggesting that his team is finally approaching peak form.

Guardiola acknowledged that City's struggles have been a significant departure from their usual standards, which have included four consecutive Premier League titles and six in the last seven seasons. The manager himself has appeared drained and perplexed by the team's decline. Nevertheless, he believes that their dominant performance against Ipswich is a sign of better things to come. “For a long time we didn't perform in the way we have done and the most important thing against Ipswich was obviously the result, but also the fact they realised what we were. For a long time, for many reasons we weren't,” Guardiola said.

Following their dismal run of one win in 13 matches across all competitions late last year, City has regained their footing, returning to the Premier League's top four for the first time since December 1. Guardiola emphasized the importance of his team recognizing their strengths and building on their recent momentum. “The important thing is realising, 'Oh, when we do this, OK, we can compete or we can be a team enjoying what we like to do',” he noted. “We are back to doing things that define this team for the last 10 years. Hopefully the players can feel it.”

England forward Phil Foden has been instrumental in City's resurgence, with five goals in his last three league games. Guardiola praised Foden's renewed confidence and his natural ability to score goals. “We talked many times over the last month or weeks,” Guardiola said. “He was a completely different boy at the beginning of the season with a few problems, because they are human beings and sometimes in a long career you have a setback, it's normal.” Guardiola also highlighted Foden's exceptional talent, saying, “His biggest quality is that around the box he has goals in his blood, his bones. He can be a one-club man and finish his career here.”