06/06/2025

FRIDAY | JUNE 6, 2025

30

SPORTS

‘Winners are boring’ Guardiola says City’s third-placed finish may be better achievement than title win

M ANCHESTER CITY manager Pep Guardiola described his team’s first trophyless campaign since 2017 as a season of growth and reflection, dismissing notions of failure and suggesting it may have been a greater achievement than a previous title win. “I want to suffer when I’m not winning games,” Guardiola told Reuters in an exclusive interview. “I want to feel bad. I want to sleep badly. I want that when the situation goes bad, it affects me… I want that! “I’m angry… my food, it tastes worse… I don’t need to eat much because I need to feel that (anger). Because if it doesn’t, what sense would it have? Winning or losing… We’re here in this world to feel different experiences, different moods.” The 54-year-old, who has won 12 domestic top-flight league titles across Spain, Germany and England, spoke about last season’s challenges, which saw City finish third in the Premier League and fail to secure silverware in domestic or European competitions. It marked only the second trophyless season of his managerial career. Guardiola rejected the idea that the season was disastrous, instead arguing that it may have been the most valuable of his tenure at City. “You judge happiness if you win. You judge

invented penicillin. That is a genius. Me? Genius? Come on.” “I don’t want to pretend to be humble: of course I’m good! I’m proving that over many years I’m good… But the success I had, I was chosen. In certain moments, to lead Lionel Messi and the other ones, to be in those type of places I made incredible teams… But other managers, in the right moment, in that position, maybe they could have done the same.” Looking ahead to the upcoming season and the Club World Cup, Guardiola emphasised the importance of team spirit. “Play good. Create a good vibe, good team spirit… Try to make the new players bring us an energy that we need to lift the team again. And at the end, we can lift trophies,” he said. Guardiola also reflected on the pressures of public-facing jobs with constant scrutiny. “The stress is always there because you are being judged every single day, but it is what it is,” he said. “Nobody put a gun to my head forcing me to choose this job. I have chosen that… There is no professional in football that wins all the time, because it’s simply impossible. So, it happened last season… you accept it, improve, learn and there will be good learnings for the future.” – Reuters

on setbacks, Guardiola quoted former Uruguayan President Jose Mujica: “Success is how many times you stand up when you fall down.” He added: “Fall down, stand up. Fall down, stand up… That is the biggest success.” “Winners are boring,” he said, adding that he always looked forward to post-match interviews with players and coaches from

success if you win and win. And that is a problem,” he said. “I will not judge myself or my team because of bad seasons or good seasons… Maybe finishing third in a season and never giving up otherwise you finish 10th or 12th, maybe that’s a better season than when we won the fourth Premier League in a row. “We faced so many difficulties that were higher due to injuries, relaxation, I was not good enough…

losing sides. “It’s nice to see the losers. That is when you really learn.” Despite his remarkable record, Guardiola dismissed any notion of exceptionalism. “Do you think I feel special because I won a lot of titles? No! Forget about it!” he said. “I feel that special is the doctor that saves lives. The people who

for many reasons. Maybe the analysis about my period is that the last season was better. Qualifying for the Champions League when we were on the verge of not getting it. Reflecting

Pep Guardiola. – REUTERSPIC

Devils submit Mbeumo bid

Arsenal miss out on transfer bargain

MANCHESTER UNITED have submitted an opening bid to sign Bryan Mbeumo worth a total of £55 million (RM316m). United are looking to make the Brentford forward their second addition of the summer transfer window having already paid £62.5m (RM359m) to bring Matheus Cunha in from Wolves. United are looking to revolutionise a forward line that scored a mere 44 goals in 38 Premier League games in the season just finished. Crucially, Mbeumo is keen to join United which means Ineos already have an

interest but Mbeumo only wants United. The Athletic say United’s opening offer consisted of a £45m (RM259m) up-front fee with a further £10m (RM58m) in add-ons. This proposal has not been formally rejected but Brentford are understood to be holding out for at least £60m (RM345m) as they use the Cunha fee as a benchmark. The versatile Mbeumo, 25, is entering the final 12 months of his Brentford contract but the Bees have an option to extend the agreement by a further 12 months so remain relaxed about the situation. Fabrizio Romano claims it will take a fee nearer to £70m (RM403m) for Amorim to get his man. Brentford manager Thomas Frank has publicly conceded that Mbeumo can leave the Gtech Community Stadium this summer but only if the price right, warning any interested suitors on Sky Sports : “That’s going to be expensive.” The arrival of Mbeumo has already been warmly welcomed by United legend and Sky Sports expert Gary Neville. He said: “Cunha and Mbeumo have obviously got Premier League experience. They’ve got plenty of games under their belt. (English football) is not new to them and actually they are the right type. “When I watch Manchester United wide players, they have to be able to get from box-to box quickly. They have to be able to run, to travel with and without the ball. Mbeumo and Cunha can do that. They can both run forward with real intent and purpose.” – Express Newspapers

Bryan Mbeumo. – REUTERSPIC

ARSENAL have missed out on a bargain summer deal and have been made to pay for their lack of activity by a former Tottenham manager. The north Londoners are yet to confirm any signings but are expected to reinforce their squad ahead of next season. A new midfielder is thought to be at the top of their shopping list with Martin Zubimendi reportedly on the verge of joining. One player they will definitely not be signing is Gabri Veiga, who has been linked with Arsenal for a number of years. Reports of their interest surfaced back in 2023, when he was playing for Celta Vigo, but he went on to join Saudi club Al-Ahli. Earlier this year, it was claimed that Arsenal had revived their pursuit of Veiga with the

around £12.6 million (RM72m) plus add-ons. It is said that personal terms have also been agreed and a medical has been booked. The report adds that former Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas was a key figure in completing the deal. He is currently president of Porto, having given up his coaching career to focus on winning last year’s election. Arsenal may live to regret their failure to sign Veiga, who still has plenty of room for growth at just 23 years old. Veiga previously confirmed that major clubs showed ‘strong interest’ in his signature before he decided to join Al-Ahli two years ago. Speaking to Spanish outlet AS , he said: “I was focused on finishing a dream season, which in the end got complicated, without being aware of any kind of rumour. “Perhaps at some

important approval in place to get the deal done. Because of that, personal terms should be a formality once a transfer fee has been agreed. The C a m e r o o n international is eager to move to Old Trafford if a fee can be agreed, in spite of the fact Ruben Amorim endured a difficult first season in Manchester which ended with United a lowly 15th in the top-flight table while they lost the Europa League final to

midfielder angling for a return to Europe. Unfortunately for Arsenal, they have missed out on his signature once again. According to Fabrizio Romano, he will join Porto in a deal worth

point there was a strong interest, but later on in the lists another type of profile gains more strength. I can tell you that in August I was faced with a situation and I took the decision I thought was the right one.” – Express Newspapers

Gabri Veiga. – REUTERSPIC

Tottenham. Newcastle and Tottenham were among the other c l u b s c r ed i t ed with an