Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City are “close” to getting back to their best despite their comprehensive Champions League defeat by Real Madrid.
City’s hopes of repeating their 2023 European success were ended this week as the Spanish giants completed a 5-1 aggregate success in the last 16.
The setback has not discouraged City manager Guardiola, who has seen enough in recent months to be optimistic even if he accepts there remains a gap to bridge at the very highest level.
City have a chance to win the first major trophy of the season on Sunday as they face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final and they have not given up hope of catching the Gunners in the title race.
“I have the feeling that in many things it is just underneath, it will flourish,” said Guardiola, whose side are also through to the FA Cup quarter-finals. “I have the feeling that it is close.
“In other things we need a little bit more time to realise, and for the players to realise what we need to be a strong team in many departments, but in most of the things we are close.”
Guardiola feels City’s progress this season has already surpassed that of their underwhelming 2024-25 campaign, regardless of how it now ends.
He said: “Last season we arrived in the final of the FA Cup against Crystal Palace. We played really well but there were many things behind the scenes we could not control and the season was not good.
“Even if we had won against Crystal Palace, the season had not been good. Many things happened that were not what a team should be.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen but this season has been more than decent. Most of the time we have been a team that is not perfect but is good.”
The next step, he believes, is to find consistency throughout a full season.
Guardiola said: “The other things to be aware of, maybe for the type of players that we have, is to do what we need to be consistent for 11 months in important games.
“The gap is a little but in many aspects we are an extraordinary team.”
Pressed on what was still missing, Guardiola said at a press conference: “I won’t tell you but I know it and the players know it.”
