Guardiola Prefers Lower League Match Over Champions League Showdown
In a light-hearted moment, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola made a surprising choice on April 28. Instead of catching the exciting nine-goal battle between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, he opted to watch Stockport County take on Port Vale. This decision came as City prepared for their upcoming Premier League match against Everton.
Currently, City is just three points behind Arsenal in the title race, but they have a game in hand. Guardiola’s choice to watch a League One match rather than one of UEFA’s top clashes, which ended with a thrilling 5-4 score, caught many off guard. Unfortunately for Stockport, they lost that match 2-1.
Speaking to reporters, Guardiola expressed his fondness for English football. “The day before, I looked at the calendar and thought about the PSG-Bayern game. I didn’t think it would be exciting, so I chose to go to Stockport instead,” he said, jokingly critiquing the quality of players and managers in that big match.
As Manchester City juggles multiple competitions, Guardiola seemed relaxed about the busy schedule ahead. The team faces a tough finish to the season, with matches against Crystal Palace and Bournemouth shifted around their FA Cup final against Chelsea.
The rescheduling was necessary due to City’s advancement in various cup competitions, but it resulted in three games within just seven days in mid-May. The season will wrap up at home against Aston Villa on May 24.
Despite some frustrations over the timing of these fixture changes, especially regarding the Crystal Palace match originally set for March, Guardiola took it in stride. He acknowledged the challenges of a hectic calendar but remained focused. “It is what it is,” he stated. “We’ve managed these busy schedules before, and we’ll tackle each game one by one.”
As City continues their pursuit of the Premier League title, they remain within striking distance of Arsenal, who have four matches left compared to City’s five. Though the pressure is on, Guardiola is not overly worried about the race and keeps his eyes on the next challenge.
Published On: May 2, 2026
