Champions League race will go down to the wire – Pep | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola is pleased the Premier League will be afforded five Champions League places next season and expects the fight to qualify will go right down to the wire.

The extra European Performance Spot for 2025/26 was triggered courtesy of Arsenal’s victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of their UCL quarter-final.

Guardiola’s City are fighting hard with the top half of the table all harbouring ambitions of making it into the top-five.

The City boss believes it will be a close run thing given the amount of teams vying for entry into the elite European competition.

“Well we are better, it’s better to have five teams instead of four,” the manager told waiting media.

“There are seven or eight contenders. This is the situation but there are lots of contenders. It’ll be until the last moment.”

WATCH: Memorable moments: City v Crystal Palace

Next up for the Blues are Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace, who Guardiola has a lot of respect for.

The corresponding fixture in our history-making four-in-a-row campaign finished 2-2, with the Eagles bagging two late goals to deny the eventual champions all three points at the Etihad.

The manager has suffered two losses to Palace on home soil during his time at the helm, alongside two draws and four victories including back-to-back 5-0 triumphs, a 4-0 win and a 4-2 success.

He's expecting another stern test in Saturday’s 12:30 (UK) kick-off.

“Tomorrow we have a team in incredible top form in the last month or two months,” added the boss.

“Always it’s difficult with Palace here, I admire a lot the manager and the way they play, the talent and physicality there are no doubts.

“But we have to be optimistic to finish well this season.”