{"id":302811,"date":"2023-12-18T18:26:36","date_gmt":"2023-12-18T18:26:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=302811"},"modified":"2023-12-18T18:26:36","modified_gmt":"2023-12-18T18:26:36","slug":"pep-guardiola-reveals-why-the-club-world-cup-is-so-important-to-man-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/soccer\/pep-guardiola-reveals-why-the-club-world-cup-is-so-important-to-man-city\/","title":{"rendered":"Pep Guardiola reveals why the Club World Cup is so important to Man City"},"content":{"rendered":"
Pep Guardiola is desperate to win the Club World Cup with City <\/p>\n
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Champions League holders Manchester City are taking nothing for granted as they seek to complete their trophy cabinet by winning the Club World Cup, manager Pep Guardiola said ahead of his side\u2019s semi-final meeting with Urawa Red Diamonds.<\/p>\n
City, who won their first Champions League title this year, are yet to win the Club World Cup \u2013 a trophy Guardiola won twice with Barcelona and once with Bayern Munich.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a pleasure to be here, it\u2019s the first time Man City is here. We don\u2019t take it for granted, it\u2019s a privilege, an honour to be here,\u201d Guardiola told reporters.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know how hard it is to win this competition and you have to have done something special in the past. It is my fourth time I have played this competition and the previous times, the semi-final was really tough, really tricky every time.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to win it. Once we are here, it is a trophy we do not have. We want to close the little circle and win all the trophies we could do. This is the last one.\u201d<\/p>\n
The last 10 editions of the Club World Cup have been won by European sides and City will be firm favourites when they take on Asian Champions League holders Urawa at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
However, Guardiola urged caution, pointing to the strength of Japanese football, with Japan\u2019s national team, the \u2018Samurai Blue\u2019, having recorded wins over Spain and Germany in last year\u2019s World Cup.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo reach the final is tricky. We don\u2019t know them much, we got as much information as possible,\u201d Guardiola said. \u201cJapan\u2019s national team is beating Germany, winning games against the best in the world. Football in Japan is strong.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Manchester City are on a poor run of form at the moment <\/p>\n
City are on a poor run of form heading into the contest, having won just three of their last eight matches in all competitions, but midfielder Bernardo Silva said the team are not lacking in desire.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you play the Club World Cup there is no tiredness. We are motivated to come here and play the competition,\u201d Silva added.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlmost all of us never won \u2013 and as a club we have never won \u2013 and we want to do it. First, we have to play Urawa Red Diamonds and we will prepare well to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n