Pep Guardiola has dropped a bombshell ahead of Manchester City’s Club World Cup campaign in the U.S. saying this tournament could “destroy” their entire 2025-26 season.
Yeah, you read that right. The treble-winning boss didn’t sugarcoat a thing. With barely any rest for some of his stars and a brutal schedule ahead, Pep is already bracing for what might be City’s most demanding season ever. “If I think too much about it, I’ll be anxious,” he admitted. “Maybe in December I’ll say: ‘We’re a disaster. We’re exhausted. The World Cup destroyed us.’”
This isn’t just any Club World Cup
It’s the first-ever expanded 32-team edition, and City’s jumping straight into it with a last-16 clash against Saudi giants Al-Hilal in Orlando. Rain, thunder, lightning? Forecast says it’s all coming but Pep joked, “I’m an extraordinary manager but can’t control the weather.” Classic Pep.
City’s players have had wildly different prep: some got five days off, others nearly three weeks. But once this tournament ends, they’ll get just a three-week breather before the madness of a new season kicks off. Meanwhile, title rivals like Liverpool and Arsenal will be chilling, fully recharged a fact England boss Thomas Tuchel called a “huge advantage.”
Enter Jürgen Klopp
The former Liverpool boss (now global head of football at Red Bull) didn’t hold back either. He said the Club World Cup winners would be “the worst of all time” just because of the insane schedule. And guess what? Pep actually agreed with him.
“We’ve fought together in meetings about this,” Pep said. “Managers need more rest, players need more rest… but we follow the rules. And let’s be honest if other teams were here, they’d love it. Their media, fans, and bank accounts would be happy.”
Still, Pep isn’t just here to complain. He’s focused. Motivated. “This tournament is about finding who we are again,” he said. “To recover, to refocus, to try and win.”
City fans strap in
This isn’t just a pre-season. It’s survival. It’s glory.
It’s Manchester City taking on the world with lightning above, pressure all around, and one of the greatest managers ever trying to keep the ship steady.
Let’s go.
