Pep Guardiola Issues Champions League Warning After Arsenal's Final Defeat
- Pep Guardiola believes clubs should not judge their entire season based on Champions League success or failure
- The former Manchester City manager says domestic league performance is a better measure of consistency and long-term progress
- Guardiola also praised Hansi Flick and Barcelona for their achievements and style of play over the last two seasons
Former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has warned clubs against defining success solely by their performances in the UEFA Champions League following Arsenal's defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in last season's final.
PSG secured the Champions League title for the second year running after defeating Arsenal on penalties in Budapest last month.
Source: Getty Images
The French club had won the competition for the first time in their history the previous season before successfully defending the crown.
Guardiola knows what it takes to win Europe's biggest club competition, having lifted the trophy three times as a manager. He won it twice with Barcelona before guiding Manchester City to Champions League glory three years ago.
Despite his success in the tournament, Guardiola believes clubs should place greater importance on their domestic league campaigns rather than becoming obsessed with Champions League success.
Guardiola Says Champions League Can Damage Long-Term Projects
The Spaniard argued that the Champions League can create unrealistic expectations and lead people to undervalue the progress made by teams over the course of a season.
"The Champions League is a competition that destroys projects, and I hope that's not the case at Barca," Guardiola said.
"We must not think that just because you don't win it, everything that has been built is no good.
"The league is the competition that gives you consistency and continuity.
"In the Champions League, you need to reach the decisive stages in good condition, without injuries, and refereeing also has a huge impact."
Guardiola stressed that clubs should focus on their day-to-day development instead of judging an entire campaign based on whether they win the Champions League.
"What matters is that the daily work is excellent, that the team keeps growing and improving, and that they don't believe the season is a failure just because they don't reach the Champions League final or win it.
"The league is what sets the foundation for judging whether a season has been good or not."
Guardiola Full of Praise for Hansi Flick and Barcelona
Guardiola also took time to praise the work of Hansi Flick after the German guided Barcelona to a second consecutive La Liga title last season.
The former Barcelona boss highlighted both the club's performances and the style of football they have displayed under Flick.
"They are Barca players, whether they came through La Masia or elsewhere, even if they weren't born here, in the end they are Barca players and they do very well," Guardiola said.
"They've had two extraordinary years, beyond the results, because of how well they've played and how attractive it is to watch them play.
"I'm a big fan of Hansi, of how they do things, and I hope he stays with them for many years."
Guardiola's comments underline his belief that long-term growth, consistency and attractive football should carry more weight than success in a competition he believes can often be decided by fine margins.
Source: YEN.com.gh
