It feels as if Pep Guardiola has become increasingly aware of public opinion over the years. The negative element of public opinion he is being fed, anyway. Algorithms will do that to you.
Nobody is safe from those. Not even the great man. He might have deleted WhatsApp and claimed to have no social media on his phone but that hasn’t always been the case. Guardiola was once spotted scrolling while out for dinner, feeding the idea Manchester City’s manager had a burner account on X.
Guardiola has referenced money, and how ‘the people’ (his catch-all term for the entire population) believe City have merely bought — and, by extension, cheated — their way to a period of dominance.
To combat this argument that aims to denigrate his coaching ability, he has reached for the recent net-spend statistics, which are compelling. They will allow City in the summer to continue an expensive rebuild of an ageing squad.
That sort of pushback is to be expected from someone who spearheads a club run by his mates and who now identifies as an honorary City supporter.
More interesting is what Guardiola thinks the footballing public think about him. He often references how people accuse him of disingenuity; how his praise for, say, Bournemouth is viewed as faux admiration. ‘I know the people think, “Ah, Pep is just for show…”‘ he might say.
Pep Guardiola has become more aware of public opinion as his time at Man City has gone on
The Spanish manager has been criticised for his on-field coaching of players – and knows it
Others have questioned his bear hugs for rival players after matches, and he knows eyes are rolled when that happens – pictured embracing David Alaba in the 2022 Champions League
He knows ‘the people’ roll their eyes at utterances for effect — the same goes for his bear hugs of opposition players or tactical dressing-downs of his own.
Another example is his stance on qualifying for the Champions League. ‘Disingenuous’ Guardiola again insists finishing in the top four is the most important achievement. How can he say that when City consistently win the title?
Well, he has been saying it with authenticity since he arrived in 2016 and it stems from fearing a season like this one.
Because Champions League qualification is important for the money, to provide a base for competing at the top of the Premier League. One season out of it may not be disastrous but if one becomes two, it is difficult to navigate.
It’s why Guardiola has spent so much of this term pointing out that City have not dropped into the lower reaches of the top half or further like other big clubs. That despite the misfortune of a chronic injury list and rightly criticised poor performances — both simultaneously true — City are still there fighting for a spot at Europe’s top table.
Tuesday night, against Aston Villa, will not settle the tussle for one of the three spots still available to five teams (Chelsea, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest the others) but victory would be a major fillip.
Guardiola described it as a ‘final’ in the sense of occasion. Not like those nights against Tottenham — the Peter Crouch winner (2010) and the Peter Crouch own goal (2011) — when City nudged their way into the elite at the start of 14 straight seasons in the competition, but important all the same.
Guardiola knows City can ill-afford to miss out on the riches in this year of all years. A new era is upon them — Kevin De Bruyne the latest major casualty after Kyle Walker, and other big names under threat.
The Manchester City head coach has been eager to express that finishing in a Champions League qualification spot is the most important thing for his side this campaign
City will have money to improve their squad, with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne set to leave
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Guardiola has admitted that even if the club have the same list of transfer targets whether they reach the Champions or Europa League, getting a yes from the best becomes less likely if they are in the latter.
‘If we think qualification is not enough for us, we are in ruin,’ Guardiola said. ‘I’ve always thought qualification is a big, big success. I try to convince the players it is a huge achievement in this league.
‘Don’t feel sorry for ourselves because we’ve not had a good season. We still have something to fight for that is really good for the future.’
That, in the final line, is the key. The next few weeks will define City’s short-term future, the future new director of football Hugo Viana wants to shape.
The run-in started against Crystal Palace 10 days ago and Unai Emery’s Villa tonight are the largest remaining roadblock to a 15th consecutive invite to UEFA’s grandest party.
