JAKARTA - Coach Pep Guardiola issued a stern warning to the Manchester City squad ahead of the important match against Chelsea, Sunday, April 12 at 22.30 WIB.
According to Guardiola, the chance of winning could be closed immediately if City fails to win at Stamford Bridge.
"If we don't win at Stamford Bridge, maybe we don't need to discuss the match against Arsenal because everything will be over," Guardiola said, quoted by the Independent, Saturday, April 11.
The English League title race is heating up again after Arsenal surprisingly lost to Bournemouth.
Despite still being nine points ahead, Arsenal are now under pressure. City have two postponed matches and the opportunity to cut the gap, even to equal points. However, Guardiola insists the main focus remains on the upcoming match against Chelsea.
Target Sapu Bersih With eight games left, Guardiola believes there is no room for error. "You have to win everything. No draws. Forget it," he said.
He emphasized that the experience of being a champion is not enough if it is not accompanied by maximum performance in every match. Guardiola also dismissed the notion that City has a champion aura that is frightening for opponents.
"The aura doesn't make you win. The English League season lasts 11 months and there are many matches where we play well, but it's not enough to win," he explained.
City are known to be strong in the final phase of the season. They recorded 28 wins from the last 31 games in April. Guardiola even joked about the weather factor. "When the sun shines, we feel better and win games," he said.
The match against Chelsea is a crucial initial test before facing Arsenal. If they are able to win, City will still keep the champions' chances alive. However, if they fail, the path to the title could be closed faster.
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