Guardiola prioritises Manchester City development over silverware emphasis

Pep Guardiola emphasises that he values Manchester Citys evolution more than securing trophies, ahead of their League Cup semi final first leg at Newcastle on Tuesday.

Last term, City concluded without a significant honour for the first time in eight years, although they secured the Community Shield early in the season by defeating Manchester United via penalties.

During his Monday pre match press briefing, Guardiola addressed whether he sensed added pressure following the absence of major accolades last campaign, yet he maintained that his attention lay elsewhere from prizes.

"The essence is not regarding triumphing or failing to claim trophies, rather it concerns the teams maturation and enhancement," the City boss remarked.

"In the previous season, we lacked the merit to claim beyond a single trophy, given our subpar performances. Thus, gaining satisfaction from a trophy amid poor play might occur, particularly in knockout rounds, where fortune plays a role.

"That is not the core. Trust me, it is not. Our purpose here is to elevate the teams play, deriving fulfilment from strong showings for ourselves and our supporters."

Having overhauled his roster in the last year after losing pivotal squad members, Guardiola noted that the goal remains steady progress match by match.

"This remains the objective, consistently so," he clarified. "During that progression, while contending for championships, victory becomes possible. 

"Yet post championship, amid the lavish praise, it fades swiftly the next day, then over the following days, it diminishes. Hence, it is the path, the continuous improvement that defines our vocation." 

City claimed the League Cup consecutively for four years starting from 2018, with that tournament serving as a springboard for a decade long supremacy in English football during Guardiolas tenure.

The prior season saw them overtaken as Premier League title holders by Liverpool, and currently, they lag six points behind frontrunners Arsenal.

Chelsea will welcome Arsenal for the opening fixture of the alternate League Cup semi final on Wednesday.