Pep Guardiola: Manchester City Don't Deserve Club World Cup Bonuses

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes his team doesn't deserve bonuses from the Club World Cup due to their underwhelming performance this season.

Pep Guardiola believes that Manchester City's squad and staff don't deserve bonuses from the Club World Cup this year. Despite being the reigning Premier League champions, City has had a dismal season under Guardiola, trailing leaders Liverpool by 22 points and getting knocked out of the Champions League early.

Manchester City's chances of domestic silverware are dwindling, having been eliminated from the League Cup in the fourth round. However, they remain in contention for the FA Cup, with a quarter-final match against Bournemouth scheduled for Sunday. This competition presents City's most realistic opportunity for domestic honors this season.

The Club World Cup, scheduled to take place from June 14th to July 13th in the United States, boasts a staggering $1 billion prize pot. The tournament winner can earn up to $125 million. Nevertheless, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has made it clear that he does not want any bonus, emphasizing that the team does not deserve it. ”We don't deserve a bonus this season. If we win, it will go to the club,” Guardiola told reporters. “The manager, backroom staff and players don't deserve it. Not even a watch!”

With Manchester City currently sitting fifth in the league, Guardiola is also prioritizing qualification for the Champions League next season. This campaign has served as a reality check for the veteran manager, who is accustomed to competing on multiple fronts at this stage of the season.

Pep Guardiola reflected on the challenges Manchester City has faced this season, emphasizing the importance of learning from both successes and setbacks. “You learn in the good moments and the bad moments,” he said. “Experiences can happen many times and if you don't learn, they will happen again.”

Guardiola acknowledged that this season has been a valuable learning experience for him and the club. “It is good for me, I will learn a lot and hopefully the club as well,” he said. Guardiola also referenced his past comments on the significance of qualifying for the Champions League, which were initially met with skepticism. “When I said in the past that qualification for the Champions League was a huge success, they didn't believe me but now they believe me,” he noted.

PEP 💬 (On players returning from international duty) Some of them are a little more tired and need recovery.

[Ederson] trained the last two days. pic.twitter.com/wZDvlHOtsD

— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 28, 2025

Guardiola's immediate focus is on Manchester City's upcoming FA Cup quarter-final match against Bournemouth, a team that has already beaten City in the league this season. Guardiola expressed admiration for Bournemouth's unique playing style, saying, “They have a special way of playing and it works with the players and the ideas that they have.” He also highlighted the team's effectiveness in executing their strategy. “Every team plays in a specific way and they do it really well. Other teams are more direct, other teams want more crosses.”

PEP 💬 [Khusanov] has a special quality. Really special. He’s so fast and he brings his passion in the body language. He shows it in many actions. We are delighted in the short time with training, with many things. pic.twitter.com/UdSOyLwmxA

— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 28, 2025

Despite the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Manchester City's alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules, Guardiola insisted that the speculation is not affecting the team. “We are more than one year with that,” he said, referring to the ongoing investigation. Guardiola downplayed the impact of the ongoing speculation, stating, “Nothing will change with one more week, or two more weeks or three or four more weeks.”