Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted that he cannot yet assess how his team's participation in the FIFA Club World Cup will impact their ambitions in the upcoming Premier League season. He also responded to criticism directed at the tournament.
Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel had previously stated that City and Chelsea's involvement in the ongoing tournament in the United States might give other clubs, such as Liverpool and Arsenal, a relative advantage in the Premier League title race.
Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp also criticized the idea of holding the Club World Cup, calling it "the worst idea ever implemented in football" due to the physical risks it poses to players.
Guardiola responded to the criticism, saying, "I'm trying to enjoy the experience and the positive atmosphere around the tournament. We're here to win it. The most important thing for me is recovery, regaining our energy, and understanding how prepared we are. That’s our true objective."
He added, "I want the players to feel that this tournament is another chance for us to compete for silverware, just like we’ve done in eight of the past nine seasons."
He continued, "We’ll see what happens once we reach the final. Of course, we’ll get some rest—although limited—depending on the Premier League schedule."
Guardiola acknowledged the potential risks involved, saying, "We might face a physical disaster in November, December, or January due to fatigue. I can't say for sure, because this is the first time the tournament is being held in this format. We’ll have to wait and see how things develop."
Addressing Klopp’s remarks, Guardiola said, "We’ve faced many battles with Klopp, and I fully understand where his views come from. I respect him and will always defend his right to express his opinion. But as managers, we are not responsible for organizing tournaments. We just do our jobs."
He added with a hint of sarcasm, "We’re proud to be here. Perhaps other teams are criticizing the tournament simply because they’re not part of it. If they were, they might be praising it instead."
He also addressed the environmental challenges, saying, "The weather is one of the major issues here, whether it’s extreme heat or thunderstorms. I'm a good coach, but not good enough to control lightning and thunder."
He concluded, "The situation isn’t ideal, but I was raised to focus only on the things I can control. So I don’t see a problem with it."
