Pep Guardiola has urged his Manchester City squad to treat Tuesday’s Premier League match against Aston Villa as “a final” in their quest for Champions League qualification.
With the top five teams in England set to secure a spot in Europe’s elite competition next season, the race remains tight. While Liverpool and Arsenal are already certain to qualify, just two points separate the five teams competing for third to seventh place: Newcastle United, Man City, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa.
Guardiola is fully aware of the challenges posed by Villa, who have been in excellent form, recently following up a 3-2 win over Paris Saint-Germain with a dominant 4-1 victory over fellow Champions League contenders, Newcastle.
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“They are a contender to qualify for the Champions League,” Guardiola said ahead of the match. “I watched the game they played against my friend Luis Enrique [PSG manager]—wow, I was really, really impressed. They can defend deep and play on the counter, but when they decide to attack, with the speed they have, their set-pieces, and how well-organised they are, they are incredibly dangerous.”
Guardiola emphasized the importance of the match, calling it “a final” and stressing the need for the fans’ full support. “We need our people because I think they want the Champions League next season too. Hopefully, they can help us from the first minute. Sometimes we are sloppy, sometimes we don’t play well, but now we need them desperately—to support us, make noise, and be there all the time. This is absolutely a final for us.”
City have a relatively favorable run of fixtures to close out the season, following Tuesday’s encounter with Villa. Matches against resurgent Wolverhampton Wanderers, bottom-side Southampton, and European hopefuls Bournemouth, as well as an FA Cup run starting this weekend against Forest, could set the stage for a strong finish. If Villa also progress in the FA Cup, they could meet City in the final.
