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Guardiola: We want to 'close the circle' by winning this last trophy

18 Dec 2023
Pep Guardiola

Man City manager targets history ahead of Tuesday's FIFA Club World Cup semi-final

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Pep Guardiola wants his Manchester City side to "close the little circle" and claim the only trophy they are yet to win at the FIFA Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia this week.

City have qualified for the tournament for the first time ever, entering at the semi-final stage after winning the UEFA Champions League in June.

Now Guardiola wants his Treble-winners to become the first side in English history to win the quintet of Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup in the space of 12 months.

"We want to win it," Guardiola told City's club website ahead of Tuesday's semi-final against Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds in Jeddah.

"Once we are here, it is a trophy we do not have. We want to close the little circle and win all the trophies we could do. This is the last one.

"In the Premier League you have another game in three days. Here it may be another lifetime."

That point has not been lost on midfielder Bernardo Silva, who added: "When you play the FIFA Club World Cup there is no tiredness. We are motivated to come here and play the competition. Almost all of us never won - and as a club we never won - and we want to do it."

Guardiola has previous experience of the competition, winning it twice with Barcelona and once with Bayern Munich.

“It is a pleasure to be here - an honour - and it's Man City’s first time here," he added. "We take it as a privilege, it’s an honour to be here.

"It is my fourth time I have played this competition and the previous times the semi-final was really tough, really tricky every time."

While City will be favourites to beat Urawa Red Diamonds in the semi-finals, Guardiola is not expecting an easy tie.

“To see the Japanese national team, they know the games and they beat Germany - look at the World Cup," he said.

“Football in Japan grew up incredibly in the past 10 years. They are sharp and quick on the transitions and unpredictable in many cases.

“I respect them a lot and of course I want to be in the final next Friday of the Club World Cup.”

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