Pep Guardiola has rejected claims that rebuilding Manchester City is the toughest challenge of his career as his team fights for a top-four spot in the Premier League.
City, who visit Tottenham on Wednesday, are 20 points behind leaders Liverpool after a 2-0 defeat to Arne Slot’s side last weekend. They have also been eliminated from the Champions League following a 6-3 aggregate loss to Real Madrid.
Despite the setbacks, Guardiola remains confident, insisting that he has faced tougher challenges in the past.
“We have done it before. After nine years, this is not the same as when we first started. We have rebuilt the team two or three times already, so this is not the biggest challenge,” Guardiola said on Tuesday.
City made four signings in the January transfer window—Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico Gonzalez, and Victor Reis—to strengthen the squad after injuries and a dip in form.
The team has struggled at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, winning just two of their eight matches there in all competitions. Their last visit in October ended in a 2-1 defeat in the League Cup, which sparked a poor run, including a heavy 4-0 loss to Spurs at the Etihad Stadium.
Despite Tottenham sitting 12th in the league, Guardiola believes they are a dangerous side.
“They have great quality, play with high intensity, and are very strong in transitions,” he said.
Meanwhile, Erling Haaland remains a doubt for the match after missing the last two games with a knee injury. Guardiola said a decision on his availability would be made after training.
