Pep Guardiola has acknowledged that the expanded Club World Cup might have a negative effect on Manchester City’s 2025-26 campaign, though he is trying not to dwell on it to avoid unnecessary stress.
On Monday, City will compete against Al-Hilal in the round of 16 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. While some of Guardiola's players had only five days off before the tournament, others had a three-week break. The entire squad is expected to have at least three weeks off after the event.
Recently, Thomas Tuchel, coach of England, suggested that Liverpool and Arsenal—last season’s top two teams—hold a significant advantage for next season as they are not participating in the tournament. Guardiola was asked about Tuchel’s remarks.
“I try not to think about it, otherwise I will be so anxious,” Guardiola said. “We will rest for as long as the Premier League allows. We’ll take it game by game, month by month, and see what happens. Ask me again in November, December, or January, and I might say: ‘Listen, we’re exhausted. The World Cup has ruined us.’ I don’t know yet—this is the first time we’re experiencing a 32-team tournament like this.”
“I’m trying to stay relaxed, enjoy the competition, and focus on winning. The most important thing is to regain our rhythm. That’s my main goal here,” he added.
Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp recently claimed that the tournament’s winners would be the “worst of all time” due to the demanding schedule. Klopp, now overseeing global football operations for Red Bull, saw one of his teams, Salzburg, exit in the group stage. Guardiola responded to his comments.
“I understand where he’s coming from,” Guardiola said. “We’ve had many discussions in UEFA and Premier League meetings about improving scheduling and giving players and managers more rest. His remarks don’t surprise me. I respect him—we’ve had a great relationship, even as rivals.”
“Now that he’s stepped away from management, I see his point. I’d defend it too. But as managers, we work within the rules set by FIFA, UEFA, and the Premier League,” he continued.
“Many teams complain about such competitions when they’re not in them, but if they qualified, they’d likely embrace it—bringing supporters, media attention, and financial benefits. It’s not ideal for managers—would I prefer two months to prepare for next season? Of course. But this is the reality.”
Manchester City’s match against Al-Hilal begins at 9 PM local time, with forecasts predicting rain and possible lightning delays. Guardiola, however, dismissed any concern with a laugh.
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