Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged the potential financial and transfer implications of failing to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages as his team prepares for a crucial match against Club Brugge on Wednesday.
City currently sit in 25th place, outside the playoff spots, and need a victory at the Etihad Stadium to keep their Champions League hopes alive. Under the competition’s new format, the top eight teams qualify directly for the last 16, while teams finishing between ninth and 24th must navigate a playoff round.
Guardiola on Financial and Sporting Implications
Since Guardiola’s arrival in 2016, Manchester City have consistently reached the Champions League knockout stages. However, Guardiola admitted that missing out this season could impact the club’s financial stability and transfer market activity.
“In the last two or three transfer windows, it’s always been positive,” Guardiola said. “I’m not naive enough to not know how important it is financially for the club to go through in this competition. It can affect the club, but, of course, we want to try to make it happen and go through first for sporting reasons.”
City have already spent over £120 million in the current transfer window, bringing in forward Omar Marmoush and defenders Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov. Guardiola noted the club’s careful approach to spending in recent years.
“In the last five or six years, the net spend at this club has been amazing. The club said, ‘OK, the situation is the situation. If we want to spend, we can spend. If not, we don’t spend.'”
City’s Struggles in the Champions League
City’s last Champions League outing ended in a 4-2 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, leaving them with just two wins and two draws from seven matches. Guardiola’s team conceded 26 shots in that game, far above their tournament average of 8.3 shots faced per game.
“We have to win the game, and if not, then we won’t continue in the competition,” Guardiola said. “We want to go through to have another chance to play another two games and qualify for the next stage.”
When asked if it would be embarrassing for City to miss out on the playoffs, Guardiola deflected, saying, “Ask me after the game.”
Club Brugge: A Different Challenge
City previously defeated Brugge 5-1 and 4-1 during the 2021-22 campaign, but Guardiola stressed that the Belgian side has significantly improved. Brugge are unbeaten in all competitions since late October and sit three points above City in the standings.
“I expect a tough game,” Guardiola said. “When a team are unbeaten, it’s because they are good. It’s a final for both of us, especially for us.”
City’s Home Record and the Stakes
Manchester City are unbeaten in their last 33 Champions League home matches (W28 D5), although three of their last four have ended in draws. Guardiola remains optimistic about his team’s chances.
“We would like to score lots of goals in the first 20 minutes, but I don’t think that will happen,” he said. “I think we are going to do it.”
The pressure is on Guardiola and his players to secure a result that will keep their Champions League ambitions—and their transfer plans—on track.
