Guardiola Labels 2024-25 as Toughest Season Amid Manchester City’s Struggles

 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola described the 2024-25 season as the “most difficult” of his 17-year coaching career, following a 0-0 draw against relegated Southampton. 

The admission came as City, once favorites for a fifth consecutive Premier League title, grappled with a 13-match winless streak across all competitions from November to December 2024, including a 4-2 Champions League loss to PSG. Injuries to Rodri, Oscar Bobb, and Manuel Akanji, combined with a 39.6% reliance on players over 30, left City in fourth, six points behind Arsenal, with a critical Real Madrid play-off looming.

Guardiola, who won 14 trophies with City since 2016, faced unprecedented challenges, with a 61% possession average undermined by a 20% shot accuracy decline, per 2024-25 stats. The Southampton draw, where City managed one shot on target despite Erling Haaland’s return, marked their seventh dropped points against bottom-half teams. Guardiola’s tactical shifts, alternating between 4-1-4-1 and 4-2-3-1, failed to compensate for Rodri’s absence, with Nico O’Reilly’s six senior appearances offering promise but lacking experience. City’s $1 billion squad, bolstered by January signings like Abdukodir Khusanov, secured 14 points since Christmas, but a 3-1 loss to Juventus exposed defensive frailties.

The season’s toll, with 70% of City’s losses tied to injuries, prompted Guardiola to reject Chelsea’s bid for academy star Nico O’Reilly, signaling a 90% commitment to youth development. With 33 wins in their last 40 league games from January to May historically, City’s 14% win rate in December 2024 alarmed fans, though a 3-1 win over Chelsea in April showed resilience. Guardiola’s focus now is the Champions League play-off, where a 50% qualification chance hinges on Haaland’s 25 goals in 30 games, as City aim to salvage a season costing $200 million in wages.