Pep Guardiola has claimed that it's more difficult to win a league title than the Champions League, despite winning six of the former since last being victorious in Europe.
Guardiola is gearing his side up for a final day scrap for the Premier League title, as he eyes up his fourth in five years with Manchester City.
His side need to equal or better Liverpool's result against Wolves, as they take on Steven Gerrard's Aston Villa, with the Liverpool legend admitting it would be 'fantastic' to help his former side win the league.
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Whilst the season ends on Sunday for City, should Jurgen Klopp's side not be able to overtake the current champions they at least have the Champions League final next Saturday to comfort them.
It is a title that Guardiola has continued to fail to win since leaving Barcelona, getting knocked out at the semi final stage by Real Madrid this season, thanks to an incredible late turn around.
However, despite being without success in Europe's premier competition since 2011, the former Bayern Munich boss still thinks league titles are harder to win.
"I would say it’s more difficult. There’s a lot of weeks and games, struggles with injuries, good and bad moments with different situations, tough opponents," Guardiola said in his pre match press conference.
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"It’s satisfying because it’s every day. When you fight for the Premier League and have success right at the end, it gives you a sense that you enjoy a lot. We are happier in our lives when you win.
"When you win and win it [makes for] good training sessions, a good environment and mood. It’s not like the FA Cup or a single game, it’s a routine.
"I’m not saying the Champions League is not important. We’re mad, crazy to win it.
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"We want it, we love it.
"We’d love to be in Paris [in the final] next week but to win 38 games, rather than six, eight or nine games, is different.
"Always I like it, since I was a player. The league is nice and we are on the verge of that. We are close."
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Guardiola certainly has a point, and the Champions League isn't always won by the best team in Europe, as has been proved on many occasions.
The problem is that he's often had the best team in the continent, both with Bayern and City, in the past 11 years, but has been unable to win it.
During that spell he's only managed to make one final, last season in the loss to Chelsea, one example of the best team in Europe not winning the Champions League.
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That many failures suggests there is something wrong with what Guardiola or his teams are doing in the competition to make it more difficult.
Meanwhile his side are on the verge of winning a seventh league title since he last won in Europe, suggesting that he doesn't find leagues so tough to win.
Either way, there's no doubt that both Liverpool and City will be desperate to win on Sunday and City will be just as desperate to make it to next year's Champions League final.
Topics: Pep Guardiola, Liverpool, Manchester City, Premier League, Champions League
Ryan Sidle