Pep Guardiola says he would not have been able to forgive himself if he had walked away from Manchester City in their most testing period since he took charge.
The reigning champions find themselves in eighth position in the table ahead of Sunday’s trip to Ipswich, live on Sky Sports on Super Sunday.
Guardiola must oversee a City rebuild, while off the field, there is a backdrop of Premier League financial charges, which City deny.
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Highlights from Brentford’s match against Manchester City in the Premier League
The City head coach has won 18 trophies, including six Premier League titles, in less than nine years at the club and put an end to uncertainty about his future by penning a new two-year contract last November after a run of four straight defeats.
And he insists there was never any doubt he would try to mastermind a new cycle of success.
“Sometimes we don’t appreciate or undermine the fact that we suffer. Life is that,” Guardiola told Sky Sports News.
“Always people are thinking we have to be happy all the time, we have to show on social media how happy we are. That is a mistake, life is always up and down and when it happens, it happens, and of course it is a big challenge.
Sunday 19th January 4:00pm
Kick off 4:30pm
“I am here, so when I feel I cannot handle it, the club – I would not forgive myself if now I said I am going to leave. I would not forgive myself.
“Absolutely, that doesn’t mean it’s going to bounce back. I don’t know, but at least I will not regret one second that I did not try it. Not one second. And I work and I try to do it. Not one second, impossible.
“I think the majority of the players, they want to do it. The majority of players, they want to try and do it, because I know how they run and how they suffer. But suffering is part of life, it’s never perfect. That is life itself.
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spoke about Kevin De Bruyne’s contract situation at the beginning of the year
“You cannot win all the competitions you play for just one reason – because it is impossible! Even for me, it is impossible. But in terms of all the period I’ve been here for 500+ games, 485 or 490 have been a dream come true, have been a paradise.
“We maybe had one season bad, or two seasons bad, that’s what happens in life. So, we overestimate the success in life too much, too much. We try to bounce back with the club and we will try our best.”
-Pep: Haaland can ‘visualise’ his future at City
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After signing a brand new contract with Premier League champions Manchester City, we take a look at Erling Haaland’s best ever goals from his time in the English top-flight
City have been handed a massive boost ahead of Sunday’s game, with the news that Erling Haaland has signed an extraordinary nine-and-a-half-year deal at the Etihad Stadium, which is the longest contract in the Premier League and one that keeps the striker at the club until 2034.
“When Ferran (Soriano, Man City CEO) told me, I said “sorry, can you tell me again!?” Because I could not believe it. It never happened before.
“After that it happened, but I don’t think anybody pushed the other one. I think both [parties] wanted it.
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Manchester City revealed Erling Haaland’s new contract in bizarre fashion. Courtesy of City Studios
“It is great news for the club, I hope [and expect] he is happy, otherwise he would not do it. To have this incredible talent, unique player and striker for the club, for the next decade, is really important.
“He would not sign a contract if he could not visualise his future as a Football player at this club, and the potential and the challenge here – it would be impossible.
“I am really pleased, especially pleased he has done it in not an easy moment for us in terms of results. And to do it in this moment, I think, means a lot for the trust in everyone at this club.
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes Erling Haaland trusts the club despite charges, which City deny
“He knows in 10 years – I don’t know what’s going to happen – but he will have different backroom staff and players. So I think he signs, because he sees City in the Premier League, of course, and he sees the potential [and] that the club has been one decade at the top, for many, many years.
“I think the fact that he loves to play in the Premier League is a big compliment to the Premier League, to the whole organisation, to everyone and he wants to play for the club for many reasons – incredible clubs, incredible teams, year-by-year it’s getting better, and that is it.”
Watch Ipswich vs Man City live on Sky Sports Premier League from 4pm Sunday, kick-off 4.30pm.
