Club World Cup trophy won't make up for last season - Guardiola



Winning the Club World Cup won't make amends for Manchester City's disappointment of last season, says manager Pep Guardiola.

City failed to win a major trophy for the first time in eight years but claimed the Community Shield at the beginning of the campaign.

City finished third in the Premier League, failed to reach the last 16 in the Champions League and were stunned in the FA Cup final by Crystal Palace.

Along with Chelsea, City are one of two English sides currently competing at the revamped Club World Cup in the United States.

They began Group G with victory over Moroccan side Wydad AC and another three points against UAE club Al-Ain in Atlanta on Sunday will seal progression to the last 16.


"I said many times, the season was not good," said Guardiola. "When you finish third in the Premier League to qualify for the Champions League, it means 70 teams were worse than us.

"We played the FA Cup final in an incredibly high level against a really good team. The disappointment was the Champions League, we did not do really good. It was tough to handle it.

"Winning this competition is not going to change that but my mindset at the moment is not about winning the competition. We can extend our time here, being here longer. For the South American teams, the competition may be the maximum. For European teams, it is [just] a World Cup."

Al-Ain manager Vladimir Ivic, formerly of Watford said: "When you play against the best ones, you want to be the best of yourself.

"I am sure my players will give the maximum, trying from the first until the last, to show themselves the best way against the best one. We have to believe in ourselves and my team."

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