Manchester City: Pep Guardiola says repeating Treble success will be ‘impossible’

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says it will be “impossible” for his side to repeat last season’s Treble success.

City finished 2022-23 with a hat-trick of major trophies and begin this year’s Premier League campaign against newly promoted Burnley on Friday.

“It is once in a lifetime,” Guardiola said. “It will not be possible to do what we did last season.”

City are bidding to be the first team in history to win four successive English top-flight titles.

But Guardiola said winning the league, Champions League and FA Cup again would be too difficult.

“We climbed the highest mountain last season, but in the last two days we came down from it and now we start again,” he said.

“Everyone has the same intention and there will be a lot of difficulties to climb the mountain as high as possible. Our football, our level, our mentality will dictate how the season will be.”

City will be bolstered by new signings Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic when they come up against former captain Vincent Kompany’s Burnley at Turf Moor.

Guardiola said both players were “ready” and could be involved in the opening match of the season while uncertainty remains around the City futures of defender Kyle Walker and winger Cole Palmer.

The City boss said the club “wish” Walker stays and he does not know what will happen with 21-year-old Palmer, who has been linked with a move to West Ham.

“[Palmer is] with us. What will happen, I don’t know,” said Guardiola. “I understand he wants to be more active than the previous season but Riyad [Mahrez] is gone, there is one more place there. We will see.”

In his news conference on Thursday, Guardiola would not comment on West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta, who has been linked with the club this week.

‘Nothing will change’

City’s campaign for further success this season will be made difficult by an even more congested fixture schedule, with the club also involved in the Club World Cup and European Super Cup.

Concerns have been raised frequently by Premier League managers that the schedule is too demanding and that players and coaches do not get enough say in the packed calendar.

“We go to meetings [with Uefa and Premier League] but they don’t pay any attention,” said Guardiola.

“We don’t have enough days to play all these games in all competitions. When a team in the Premier League doesn’t play in Europe, it is not a problem, but people say we play in the same conditions. We don’t – we play more games.”

Guardiola has also been critical of the new officiating directive which will see matches have more injury time this season to accurately reflect stoppages in play.

City conceded a 101st-minute equaliser in their Community Shield match against Arsenal, eventually losing on penalties.

He said there are already too many matches without significant periods of extra time being added on but that the “big brain guys” make decisions without consulting players and managers.

“There are no more days, more games, so you can’t give a day off to the players,” Guardiola added.

“This argument is from a long time ago and it is getting worse but what can I do? They decide. Nothing will change.

“I have been saying it. Jurgen Klopp has been saying it. When we are invited to Uefa meetings, we cannot go because we are busy. I have to prepare. I don’t have time.”