Pep Guardiola issues demand to Man City Treble winners ahead of new season

06 August 2023 , 06:00

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Pep Guardiola has ordered his Manchester City players to remember the glory of the Treble as they look to mount another bid for silverware.

Guardiola wants his squad to use the memory of their Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup clean sweep to inspire them to go to the well again. City kick-off the season against Arsenal in the Charity Shield at Wembley.

Guardiola said: “I don’t allow them to forget anything we’ve done. What is the sense? And how would you do that as a manager, forget the good moments? What they’ve done, we cannot forget any of that. It’s our job so what sense is there?

“The players know what they have to do. We are going to face teams who will be more aggressive, so we tell the players ‘this is the level we have to do it again.’ That is the challenge and we have done it in the past – the proof is there - so why should we not do it now?

“We have done it, it’s perfect, it belongs to us, the memories are forever. It was incredible, but at the same time now we are here. Why should it stop?”

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Guardiola has told his players to concentrate on each individual game rather than allow themselves to become obsessed with defending the Treble.

And he insists the Premier League remains his No 1 priority despite a breakthrough European triumph. Guardiola said: “We don’t start by thinking we have to win everything, but to beat Arsenal.

“We are always focused every season on what we can do better, how we can play better than before, how we can play better than against Inter Milan. That’s the challenge, no more than that.

“I am never going to sit here from day one promising titles, winning this or that, but just wanting effort every game, respecting our opponents and how we can get better.

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“Honestly we are closer to not repeating the treble than winning the treble. We are closer to not winning the Premier League than winning it. And no team ever won four in a row, those are the statistics.

“Even last season I didn’t start thinking about the treble. We started by thinking let’s win the Community Shield against Liverpool - and we lost 3-1.

“So after that it was just step by step, having good moments, and at the time we arrived in the last two or three months we usually get there in good shape - and that’s what we will try to do again.”

He added: "The Treble is so difficult - even more so in this country, which is the most difficult one. But I would agree that, having won the Champions League, the Premier League is the most important - and the most difficult.

"That is the case for every single game - and we love it. The Premier League is so special. The trophy itself is the nicest and, yes, we'll go for it.

"Honestly, I am not thinking about doing the fourth title. Burnley will be the first game so it's about how we prepare and try to take the first three points.”