Be who we are – Pep

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has told his squad that the key to finishing the 2025-26 campaign on a high is to remain true to their identity, regardless of the stakes ahead.

City booked a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals with a commanding 3-1 victory away to Newcastle United and now turn their attention to a season-defining sequence of fixtures: a Champions League Round-of-16 showdown with Real Madrid, a Carabao Cup final against Arsenal at Wembley and a Premier League run-in in which they trail the Gunners.

“It’s a pity the battle for the Premier League is now not in our hands. That is a big drop against Nottingham,” Guardiola admitted. “But don’t think much, it’s just – OK, now recover and go to Madrid, make a good selection and hopefully we can behave in who we are.”

The Catalan coach, who is chasing silver on four fronts, emphasised that performance levels outweigh results when the club steps onto the sport’s grandest stages.

“When we play on the biggest stages against the big teams it’s not about win or lose, it’s be who we are as an individual, as a team and after that you never know,” he said. “Just be who we are as a team, that is the main mentality to have in your mind.”

Guardiola reserved special praise for midfield pair Nico Gonzalez and Nico O’Reilly, instrumental in the Newcastle win. Gonzalez, back in the side after Rodri’s return to fitness, impressed alongside the academy graduate.

“Nico help us a lot in the absence of Rodri and today back again. I think his partnership with Nico O’Reilly was outstanding both physicality and when they had the ball. It was really, really cool,” Guardiola noted.

He also highlighted a recent improvement in second-half displays, an area he believes has cost City points this term.

“Our last three games our second half was quite similar to the first half. All the season we drop quite a lot in the second half and otherwise we would have been in an incredible position in the Premier League.”

Off the pitch, the club announced details of revamped bars and hospitality areas in the Etihad’s North Stand for the 2026-27 season, featuring large TV screens, upgraded audio and self-service kiosks. Seasonal Memberships for the Cross Bar and City Hall are now available.

Guardiola’s message is clear: trust the process, trust the philosophy, and the outcomes will follow.