Pep Guardiola Insists Man City Need Momentum If They Are to Win a Second Consecutive League Title
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is eyeing more silverware ahead of his side's Community Shield clash against Chelsea on Sunday, although he concedes that his side will need to build fresh momentum following a long summer.
He guided City to great success on the pitch last season, with the club becoming the first to surpass 100 points in a Premier League campaign while also achieving glory in the League Cup.
Speaking ahead of Sunday's match against Chelsea, Guardiola has said his side 'don't have momentum' and will need to start from scratch as they head into the new season.
"Momentum was a time ago, it was last season," the City boss said, per the Evening Standard.
"We don't have momentum because we didn't start, not yet. Of course, we want to win, it's the final.
"We tried in our short time together to review what we have done, analyse a little bit what Chelsea will be to try and see what we have to do, and play the final.
"Of course, we want to win with the situation we have. Also, for Chelsea it is not the ideal situation - they've had more time together in this part, but we have the work from the last two seasons.
Andrew Redington/GettyImages
"We are going to try if the condition is coming, to see what we worked on in this short time works or not."
As we have seen in recent years with clubs like Chelsea, and arguably Leicester - although it was expected - teams who win the Premier League seem to struggle the following season. Guardiola admitted that he 'doesn't know' why that is the case, and said: "I've had this situation in Barcelona and Bayern Munich and we were able to repeat and make back-to-back.
"Here maybe because it's more complicated for the contenders. All the teams are good, that's why every time we reflect with perspective what we have done last season I am really impressed.
"Imagine now at the start, we're going to make 100 points? So the situation is the same as it was at my first press conference: impossible. So that's why with perspective we realise how good it is.
"But the target is what you have to do. I don't know the hunger we have. We will see.
"I don't have an answer for that, just I try to repeat what we have done in Barcelona and Bayern Munich, to be harder with my players. I think that's the best way. Because if you don't, after winning you're 'OK, I am really good' and that's the moment when we start to go down.
Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages
"I have to be clear with them - the guys who are good say you are good, if you're bad I am going to say you're bad. You know, try be fair with what I see on the pitch and off the pitch, and try to choose the right line-ups, win games and try game-by-game to do our best."
