Football
Pep Guardiola provides update on Man City future after threatening to quit
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has shared new comments about his future with the club after sparking uncertainty earlier in the week by suggesting he could leave.
Guardiola, who has been leading City since 2016, has built an era of dominance at the Etihad Stadium, including guiding them to an historic treble in 2023. In total, he’s claimed 18 major trophies with the club, six of those being Premier League titles.
This season, however, City has not lived up to its usual high standards. The team is facing its first campaign without silverware since Guardiola’s debut year in 2016–17.
A disappointing FA Cup final loss to Crystal Palace and lingering doubts over Champions League qualification have put added pressure on the squad ahead of the Premier League’s final weekend.
After a recent 3-1 win against Bournemouth, Guardiola caused a stir by implying he might walk away if the club doesn’t trim the size of its squad. With several senior players left out of the matchday roster, he made it clear that a bloated squad is not what he wants.
Guardiola said he told the club he doesn’t want to be in a position where five or six players are left out regularly. If that situation continues, he warned, he would rather leave than keep making such difficult choices. He stressed that it weighs on him emotionally to have talented players sidelined during important matches.
Despite those remarks, Guardiola has since downplayed the severity of his comments. Speaking ahead of City’s upcoming match against Fulham, he clarified that he wasn’t serious about quitting.
He said he was laughing when he made the remarks and never intended to suggest a real threat. Still, he reiterated that he finds it tough to manage a large squad when some players are left out completely, even when they are fit to play.
Looking ahead to the summer transfer window, Guardiola admitted he isn’t sure how many players will depart or arrive. He said it’s too early to give specifics on future transfers or departures, noting that his current focus is solely on the upcoming match.
He added that once the season ends, the club will evaluate and make necessary decisions about the squad.
For now, Manchester City need just a single point against Fulham to guarantee their place in next season’s Champions League. A win would lock in a third-place finish.
The only scenario that could deny them a top-five spot is if Aston Villa were to beat Manchester United by an impossible 17-goal margin. Guardiola acknowledged Fulham’s quality and made it clear that City will have to be at their best to secure the result they need.
Juventus are reportedly set to compete with Napoli for the signing of Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho this summer.
The 25-year-old is back at Old Trafford following a season-long loan at Chelsea, where he made a solid impact with five goals and 10 assists across 41 competitive appearances. He also found the net in Chelsea’s convincing 4-1 victory in last month’s Conference League final, though his efforts were not enough to convince the club to make the deal permanent.
Chelsea were initially expected to secure Sancho for £25 million as part of their loan agreement but ultimately chose to walk away from the obligation. As a result, they were required to pay Manchester United a £5 million penalty fee.
Despite being under contract with United, Sancho is not considered part of manager Ruben Amorim’s long-term plans. If he fails to secure a transfer in the coming weeks, the winger is expected to be left out of the club’s pre-season tour to the United States.
Juventus enter the race for Sancho
Napoli had previously emerged as the frontrunner for Sancho’s signature, with the player reportedly reaching a verbal agreement with the Serie A champions. However, a deal between Manchester United and Napoli has yet to be finalized.
According to Sky Sports News, Juventus have now entered the picture, exploring the financial and contractual terms of a potential move. The Turin-based side is seriously evaluating the opportunity to sign the England international, who has earned 23 senior caps.
Is Juventus the right fit for Sancho?
Juventus manager Igor Tudor is preparing for his first full season in charge after leading the team to a top-four finish last term. Known for deploying a 3-4-2-1 formation, Tudor’s system does not traditionally utilize wide wingers like Sancho.
If he joins Juventus, Sancho would likely compete for one of the two attacking midfield spots behind the main striker—a role that currently sees strong competition from Kenan Yildiz, Francisco Conceicao, and Nico Gonzalez. Unless one of these players is sold, Sancho might struggle to find regular playing time in Turin.
Napoli, on the other hand, could offer a more suitable environment for the former Borussia Dortmund star. With the club still looking to replace Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who departed in January, Sancho may find more opportunities to thrive in his preferred position on the wing.
Nicolas Jackson endured a nightmare cameo as Chelsea collapsed in the second half against Flamengo during their FIFA Club World Cup clash, suffering a 3-1 defeat that puts their tournament hopes at risk.
Chelsea initially took the lead through Pedro Neto, whose composed finish through the goalkeeper’s legs gave the Premier League side a promising start. However, the momentum quickly shifted after the break.
Flamengo responded in ruthless fashion, netting twice in quick succession. Substitute Bruno Henrique capitalized on a defensive lapse to slot home from close range, followed by another back-post finish from Danilo that stunned the Blues and put the Brazilian side ahead.
Matters worsened for Chelsea when substitute Nicolas Jackson was shown a straight red card just four minutes after entering the pitch.
His dangerous challenge saw his studs connect with Lucas Ayrton’s shin, leaving the referee with little choice but to send him off immediately.
Flamengo sealed the win with a third goal, as Wallace Yan added the final blow to a chaotic second half that Chelsea will want to forget.
The result means Chelsea must now beat African side ES Tunis in their next match on Tuesday to progress to the last 16. However, finishing second in the group could set them up for a much tougher path, likely facing the winner of Group C, which may include Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich.
Flamengo’s victory strengthens their bid to top Group D and extends the unbeaten run of South American teams in the Club World Cup’s newly expanded format.
Flamengo vs Chelsea Highlight
Monterrey secured their spot in this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup by winning the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League, now known as the CONCACAF Cup.
Fast forward four years, and the team returned to the international stage at the Rose Bowl with only one player from that title-winning squad still in the lineup: veteran goalkeeper Esteban Andrada. The club had not lifted any silverware since that 2021 triumph, which made what happened next even more unexpected.
In a surprising twist, Monterrey opened the scoring against Inter Milan in the 25th minute, as Sergio Ramos delivered a perfectly placed header.
The Spanish defender, who joined the Mexican outfit earlier this year on a one-year deal reportedly worth $4 million, had cited the Club World Cup as a major influence in his decision to sign. His goal sent the Monterrey fans into wild celebrations.
However, their joy didn’t last long. Inter’s star forward Lautaro Martínez—fresh off a World Cup win—responded with a close-range finish following a perfectly orchestrated set-piece.
The Argentine’s goal silenced the Rayados-dominated crowd and brought the game level at 1-1 before halftime.
The second half saw both teams tighten up defensively, limiting each other’s chances as the game wore on.
Inter, still recovering from a heavy defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in last month’s UEFA Champions League final, looked eager to reassert themselves. But it was Monterrey who rose to the occasion, matching their European opponents stride for stride and leaving the pitch with their heads held high after a gritty performance.
Monterrey 1-1 Inter Milan Highlights
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