After the draw in Bournemouth that decided the English championship, Erling Haaland spoke plainly. Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, proved himself a gracious loser, but left the most pressing question unanswered—for now.
When Erling Haaland stepped up to the Sky microphone in Bournemouth, he didn’t shy away from offering a clear assessment. “We didn’t deserve to win the game today. Bournemouth had significantly more chances than we did and created much more,” he analyzed critically, noting: “They were better than us as a team.”
Neither Haaland’s late equalizer nor the ultimately futile late surge could change this assessment. “We had the chances at the end. Anything can happen when the ball comes down in the box. But in the end, that’s the reality of the Premier League.” A reality in which it was, of course, exhausting to be back in action “72 hours after the FA Cup final,” but their own performance still should have looked different: “In the end, it’s not good enough.”
The Norwegian, however, refused to dwell on recent media reports about Pep Guardiola’s departure this summer. “You have to focus on what you can do as a team on the field,” he stated, adding: “If you let yourself be distracted too much by noise, you need to work on your mental strength.”
Guardiola is playing for time
The question of his possible resignation naturally came up for Guardiola himself on Tuesday evening. He was asked whether he could provide an answer now that the title race is over. To which the seasoned Catalan responded with almost statesmanlike diplomacy. In his experience, he said, announcing things while competitions are still underway does not lead to good results. That is why he pointed to the summer break: “When the season is over, we will sit down and talk to each other.”
In any case, Guardiola said, he would have to communicate extensively regarding the next steps in his career before a final decision could be made public. “I have to speak with the board, with my players, and the staff,” said the 55-year-old, whose departure, farewell, and successor are reportedly already a done deal despite having one year remaining on his contract.
Focus on Results and Congratulations
However, even that wasn’t enough to excite the former Barça and Bayern coach. “While we were playing for the FA Cup, and before that for Champions League qualification or the Premier League, my only thought was to lead this team to the best possible result,” he noted, emphasizing that he is “the happiest person in the world at this extraordinary club.”
Whether that was true on this particular evening is certainly open to question, given the jubilant scenes from London. The joy at Arsenal was immense following their first title after three consecutive second-place finishes. That’s why Guardiola could sense the relief felt by the Gunners and their manager. “I think it will be very special for him,” he commented on the triumph of his longtime protégé Mikel Arteta and congratulated the newly crowned champions in a sportsmanlike manner: “On behalf of Manchester City, I congratulate Arsenal, Mikel, the staff, all the players, and the fans on this title. They deserve it.”