Prioritising comeptitions not an option for Guardiola | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola says there is no chance that he would prioritise one competition over another.

With Manchester City continuing to fight for silverware on four fronts, the fixture schedule remains particularly congested, with Guardiola’s men set to play nine games this month.

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League 2 Cheltenham Town are next up for City in the FA Cup and whilst the Spaniard acknowledges the importance of the Premier League and Champions League, he is adamant he will approach every game with the same desire to win.

“This is not going to happen with me,” he said when asked if he would consider prioritising one competition above another at his pre-match press conference.

“I know the Premier League is the most important one and the Champions League is the second most important one, but four finals in a row in the Carabao Cup is because every game is important.

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“So, no chance [of prioritising]. Even if we arrive at the game without players, we are going to play the second team, but we don’t drop any competition.

“When we lose it is because the opponent is better or we made a bad performance, but not because I don’t care for this competition.”

With that in mind, Guardiola will be affording Cheltenham due respect ahead of Saturday’s cup clash.

Seventy-two places separate City and the fourth-tier Robins, who represent something of an unknown quantity for Guardiola and the 50-year-old admits that has meant he has had to be even more detailed in his preparation for the game.

“Cheltenham deserve my respect,” added Pep.

“I am more curious than other games because I don’t know them. I have had to pay more attention to what they are like as a team.

“Now I am going to play the team against Cheltenham and today we watched them, all the team, we are training exactly what we want to do to try and beat them.”

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With reports in the media discussing the potential formation of a European Super League, Guardiola was also asked for his thoughts on the matter.

The City boss is keen to protect the English football system and shared his desire to see the game improved at all levels.

“I have the feeling that we cannot lose the meaning of the local leagues, what it means to play the FA Cup tomorrow for example,” he explained.

“What we should do in my opinion, is make every single league in Europe stronger.

“If that means less teams, better Championship, better League One, better League Two and better Premier League, with less teams in every competition. Go for quality not quantity.

“To make an incredible European Super League, you have to make an incredible Premier League and for that you have to reduce the teams.

“We cannot kill the lower divisions or the Premier League itself. That is something, in my view, that is so important.”

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