‘Not an obsession’ – Pep Guardiola insists he’s not at Man City to win a Champions League in hint over future

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is happy at the club and is not only motivated by winning the Champions League.

The Catalan has won 11 major trophies since arriving at City in 2016 after highly successful eras with Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

This weekend he enters his seventh campaign at the Etihad Stadium off the back of a fourth Premier League title.

But success in Europe has eluded them, with just a single run to the final, and the only trophy they have not won is the one that is spoken about the most.

Guardiola, who won the Champions League twice with Barcelona, says he does not have an “obsession” with it and it has no bearing on whether he will stay in the job.

“People might say it’s an excuse but I’m not here to win the Champions League. The owners didn’t ask me. Of course they want it – and I am the first to want it. But it was the same with Munich and with Barcelona, where I won it twice,” Guardiola said.

“Every year I want to win all four titles. And if I am a manager in 30 or 40 years I will want to win the Champions League every season. But I didn’t feel a failure in the two years at Barcelona and the three with Bayern when we didn’t win.

“We want to win it – but at the same time I’m not the master of the universe. We try to do it. We were closer last season – and we will try again this season. But I’m aware how difficult the opponents are and how the competition is so difficult.”

With that warning of an inevitable drop-off in success in mind, Guardiola said the trophies he has delivered so far are the only reason he remains at City, adding that his unresolved future won’t depend on City winning the Champions League.

“I am still sitting here because we won,” he said of his longevity at City.

“If we did not win I would not be sat here. I didn’t win, we won together. Most of the time I am here in these facilities, a lot of hours and then I go home. I like my life.

“Everything is fluid, if there were problems I would not be here seven years. I am happy here and if I don’t stay it’s not because I want to move to another place. It’s because I will stop and take a break.

“It is not about the Champions League. My life is not depending, I would like to do it, it’s not an obsession.

“It’s a dream or a target but I am aware how good the opposition are and how difficult the competition. Maybe people don’t believe me and think I am making an excuse but I didn’t come here to win the Champions League.