Guardiola Battles Pressure as City’s Woes Impact Sleep and Diet

Pep Guardiola opens up on sleepless nights and a struggling City ahead of Sunday's Manchester derby.

December 14, 2024
1:12 pm

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he’s “fine” but admits that the stress from City’s rough patch is taking a toll on him, messing with his sleep and diet.

In a candid chat with former Italy star Luca Toni before City’s latest Champions League letdown against Juventus, Guardiola shared that his mental state is “ugly” as the pressure has thrown off his routine. “My sleep is worse, my eating is lighter. My digestion is suffering,” he said, showing that he’s not used to this kind of struggle.

After their 2-0 loss to Juventus, City is now in danger of missing out on a Champions League play-off spot. To make things worse, their domestic form isn’t great either — they’ve only won one of their last 10 matches heading into Sunday’s crucial Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium.

When asked about his challenges, Guardiola kept a brave face. “I’m fine,” he insisted. “We always want to do our best, and when that doesn’t happen, it makes you uncomfortable. I’m happy in good moments, but before every game, there’s always that worry about what I need to do.”

Guardiola knows where his team needs to step up. “We need to defend better and avoid mistakes at both ends,” he said, referring to City’s meltdown in Lisbon against Sporting, where they let in three goals in just 11 minutes and lost 4-1 despite starting strong.

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Sunday’s clash with Manchester United gives City a chance to turn things around, but Guardiola has a defensive puzzle to solve. With Nathan Aké and Manuel Akanji both doubtful due to injury, City might head into the derby with only three fit defenders.

While City’s struggles are making headlines, Guardiola is cautious about United under their new boss, Rúben Amorim. “You can already see the patterns, the movements, the pace,” he noted. “He will do a good job at United, I’m pretty sure of that.”

United have their own problems, too. Even after a comeback win in the Europa League against Viktoria Plzeň, their league form has been rough, with back-to-back losses to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest adding to their woes.

The stakes are high for both teams, but for Guardiola, a win would really help ease the pressure. The big question is: can he sleep soundly on Sunday night?

Guardiola also spoke out against the racial abuse aimed at City captain Kyle Walker after the Juventus defeat. “It’s unacceptable,” he said. “Not just for Kyle, but for any human being. Unfortunately, it happens too often. He has the full support of the club.”