By admin 
Pep Guardiola is assured Manchester Metropolis can bounce again from their FA Cup closing disappointment and safe a spot in subsequent season’s Champions League.
Metropolis dominated for lengthy spells in opposition to Crystal Palace at Wembley however have been unable to transform possession into targets with Eberechi Eze’s first-half strike proving decisive.
The motion from yesterday’s #FACup closing 📺 pic.twitter.com/YH4XYJoTKL
— Manchester Metropolis (@ManCity) May 18, 2025
It means Guardiola’s facet will end the season with out a trophy for the primary time since his debut marketing campaign on the membership in 2016-17, though they nonetheless have a lot to play for.
Wins over the weekend for fellow Champions League hopefuls Chelsea and Aston Villa noticed Metropolis slip to sixth, degree on factors with seventh-placed Nottingham Forest, who have been additionally victorious.
Bournemouth sport takes on enormous significance
Metropolis’s sport in hand comes tomorrow night time when Bournemouth go to the Etihad. A win would take them as much as third and in pole place to clinch one of many high 5 positions.
Guardiola was optimistic his gamers would step up when required.
He mentioned: “If we’re not within the Champions League, it’s as a result of we don’t deserve it. And we’ll play the Europa League. So it’s what it’s.
“I’m pondering we’re going to qualify. My thought is I’m going to think about that. And if I believe that, I believe that. And I believe we’d like two victories or 4 factors to qualify. That’s my goal.”
Requested if he was assured, he added: “Completely.”
One closing dwelling sport 👑
🤝 #AsahiSuperDry pic.twitter.com/gLKVGf0ZF6
— Manchester Metropolis (@ManCity) May 18, 2025
Guardiola coy on De Bruyne’s involvement
The sport will likely be Kevin De Bruyne’s closing look on the Etihad earlier than he departs on the finish of the season.
The Belgian performed the total sport at Wembley which, below regular circumstances, would make him unlikely to begin in opposition to the Cherries.
However Guardiola was giving little away when requested in regards to the 33-year-old.
He added: “We need to win the sport so we will qualify for the Champions League subsequent season – that is what Kevin desires, it couldn’t be in any other case.
“I’m going to resolve what’s the finest for us to win the sport in opposition to Bournemouth, that’s for positive.
“Kevin will get what he deserves, and what he deserves is the most effective second and the most effective praise for his unimaginable trajectory.
“What he has carried out together with some unimaginable different legends on this membership is not going to be potential within the 10 to fifteen years since Sheik Mansour took over the membership and run this membership to succeed in one other degree.”
Guardiola mentioned he had not but had probability to look at the FA Cup closing again however insists his facet performed nicely.
He mentioned: “We performed a very good closing. Not sufficient to win it and now we have the final two video games. We want 4 factors to be within the Champions League. That is sufficient and everybody has to concentrate on that.”
After Bournemouth, Metropolis go to Fulham on Sunday.