Guardiola Praises Team’s Performance, Says Players Rediscovered Their Form

ORLANDO: Following Manchester City’s dominant 5-2 victory over Juventus in the FIFA Club World Cup, Pep Guardiola expressed his satisfaction, stating, ‘It’s been a while since we delivered a performance of this caliber.’

In Thursday’s match, Jeremy Doku initiated the scoring for City. He was followed by Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, Savinho, and an own goal by Pierre Kalulu, which helped the Premier League team overcome the Italian side.

After a disappointing showing last season, Guardiola’s team traveled to the United States. However, the manager believes that the squad’s showing against Juventus could signal a return to their previous standards.

“I appreciated the manner in which we executed our game plan,” Guardiola commented.

“It has been quite some time since we put together such a complete performance, both with and without the ball. The players displayed great commitment, and we are delighted to have defeated a high-quality opponent.

“While this is just a single match, I believe the players have once again experienced the feeling of being a formidable team. Confidence is derived from performance, not past achievements.”

Against Juventus, Guardiola chose a more robust lineup that overwhelmed their rivals, in contrast to the relatively weaker XI that defeated Wydad AC and Al Ain.

Guardiola noted that the players felt a strong connection as a unit, and the team performed in a manner reminiscent of their performances over the last decade.

“For the first time in a considerable period, the players felt that we performed to our capabilities,” Guardiola remarked.

“We secured victories in the prior two matches, but today we refined certain aspects, resulting in a truly excellent performance. The crowd’s energy was palpable and had an incredible impact, much like the first two games.

“I am genuinely pleased, as the most crucial aspect is for the players to recognize what we must do to replicate the success we achieved in the past decade.”