(Reuters) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said the team will have to win the Champions League to seek recognition worldwide, but the Spaniard is “incredibly happy” with what the Premier League club have achieved so far.
Guardiola has led City to three Premier League titles, four League Cups and the FA Cup since taking over in 2016, but they are yet to become champions of Europe, coming closest after reaching the Champions League final last season.
For now City remain on track to win a treble this season, leading the Premier League by one point, reaching the semi-finals of the FA Cup and also the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
“Sometimes to be happy we get the proof from outside to be happy inside and that is stupid,” Guardiola told British media on Saturday, speaking ahead of a Premier League clash with second-placed Liverpool later on Sunday. Victory would give City a four-point cushion with seven games left, while Liverpool could overtake their rivals with a win.
“I agree with most of the people who said that we’ve not achieved in Europe, we’ve not won the Champions League and maybe they are right. To get the recognition of everyone in the world outside we need to conquer Europe.
“Is it going to happen? I don’t know – so far what we’ve done here makes me incredibly happy. First of all we had fun. We did many, many good things, that’s my feeling. But whether it is enough doesn’t matter. I could not care less.”
(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)
