Two-time defending champions of the Premier League, Manchester City may be looked at by many as a serious threat to reckon with in European football but their manager Pep Guardiola is not confident of his team going on to win the UEFA Champions League (UCL) this season.

In fact, Pep Guardiola has stated that the current Manchester City team is not good enough to compete in top tournaments like the UEFA Champions League.

Advertisement

“The people say about the Champions League, that target. We still are not ready,” Pep Guardiola told reporters.

“We create a lot, don’t concede, but can improve. We’ve scored a lot over the last two seasons and I don’t have doubts about that, but we have to keep going, work on that.”

Regardless of what Pep Guardiola thinks, Manchester City emerged as the winner in their recent Premier League encounter against Crystal Palace. Pep had decided to go ahead with Gabriel Jesus instead of Sergio Aguero.

“He [Jesus] will have a long career and with his mentality always he will have success. He is hungry, he will become an important striker around the world and we are lucky to have him,” Guardiola continued.

“Gabriel was always good from the beginning. Unfortunately, he had two tough injuries. Last season it was tough for him, after the World Cup it was not easy, but he is strong.

“He is a number nine for Brazil. The club brought an incredible, young player for an incredible price. One of the best signings.

“To compete with Sergio [Aguero] is maybe the most difficult thing. Sergio is a legend, an outrageous player – amazing, but Gabriel is so calm.

“He is a competitor, he accepts the decision and every training session he fights like an animal, but he is so young and can improve,” he concluded.