Manchester City finished last season without a trophy for the first time in eight years.
But according to Pep Guardiola, the story many people remember about that campaign might be completely wrong.
Pep Guardiola Makes Bold Claim About Manchester City’s “Lost” Season
Manchester City’s 2024/25 campaign is widely remembered as a rare failure in the Pep Guardiola era.
For the first time in nearly a decade, the club ended the season without lifting a major trophy, while Liverpool — under new manager Arne Slot — surged to the Premier League title.
But Pep Guardiola believes the narrative surrounding that season has missed something important.
In a recent press conference, the Manchester City manager made a surprising claim:
During the final months of last season, City were actually the best team in the Premier League.
A Season That Started Strong — Then Fell Apart
At the beginning of the 2024/25 season, Manchester City looked like the unstoppable force fans had come to expect.
They climbed to the top of the Premier League table early, dominating matches with their familiar mix of control and attacking brilliance.
But everything changed during the winter months.
A devastating injury to Rodri, who suffered a serious knee problem, destabilized City’s midfield.
Without their most important controller in the center of the pitch, Guardiola’s system began to wobble.
What followed was a run that shocked supporters.
City endured a two-month stretch without a single victory, an almost unimaginable drought for a team that had dominated English football for years.
The slump included painful defeats — most notably a heavy loss to Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium.
Suddenly, Manchester City found themselves chasing the teams above them rather than leading the race.
European Hopes Also Collapse
The problems weren’t limited to domestic competition.
Manchester City’s Champions League campaign also ended earlier than expected.
They were knocked out by Real Madrid over two legs in a playoff round for a place in the last 16 — a result that added to the growing sense that the season had slipped away.
By the time the campaign ended, Liverpool had secured the title and City were left with little to show for their efforts beyond qualification for the following season’s Champions League.
Guardiola’s Surprising Perspective
Despite the disappointment, Guardiola insists the final months of the season told a different story.
The Catalan coach believes his team recovered strongly and finished the campaign playing better than anyone else.
“The beginning of the season we were top of the league,” Guardiola said.
“And in the last 10, 12, 13, 14 games we were the best team in the Premier League.”
From his perspective, the narrative of collapse ignores how City finished the season strongly after their difficult winter.
But Guardiola also acknowledged that the painful stretch without wins offered an important lesson.
“It was two months we were not able to win a single game. We couldn’t find a way,” he admitted.
“It was incredible learning for me — how to approach situations when things go bad.”
A Reminder That Success Never Lasts Forever
Guardiola used the experience as a reminder that dominance in football is never guaranteed.
Even after years of winning titles, he believes it’s important to accept that every era eventually faces challenges.
“When we won the Premier League titles, I always thought nothing is eternal,” he said.
For Guardiola, the key is not dwelling on the past — whether good or bad.
Instead, he focuses on one simple principle.
“Game by game… that’s the only thing I’m concerned about.”
Manchester City’s Response This Season
The lessons from that difficult campaign appear to have shaped Manchester City’s approach to the current season.
Several important changes were made to refresh the squad.
Key signings such as:
Antoine Semenyo
Marc Guéhi
have added new energy and defensive stability to the team.
Meanwhile, the return of Rodri to full fitness has restored the midfield control that City lacked during the winter slump.
As a result, the team now boasts the best defensive record in the Premier League as of March.
Tactical Evolution Behind the Scenes
Behind the scenes, Manchester City have also quietly adjusted their tactical structure.
The integration of players like Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki into the midfield has created a more flexible system.
This new approach acts as a kind of “fail-safe” structure, designed to prevent the team from collapsing again if a key player like Rodri becomes unavailable.
The evolution has been overseen by incoming sporting director Hugo Viana, who is helping guide the club into the next phase of Guardiola’s project.
A Season Still Full of Possibilities
As the current campaign enters its decisive stage, Manchester City remain alive on multiple fronts.
They are:
Competing with Arsenal for the Premier League title
Preparing for an FA Cup run
Playing in a domestic cup final
Facing another massive Champions League clash with Real Madrid
For Guardiola, last season’s struggles are no longer a source of frustration.
Instead, they serve as motivation.
A reminder that even the most dominant teams must evolve.
And if Manchester City succeed in lifting trophies again this season, the painful lessons of last winter may ultimately prove to be the turning point that made them stronger.
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