Man City Win EFL Cup, Guardiola: “Hunger for Titles Never Stops”

After defeating Arsenal 2-0 in the EFL Cup final, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spoke to the media in the post-match press conference. He explained that his celebration after the second goal reflected his hunger for the title and emphasized that the team will continue to fight for the league crown.

On what this title means to him:
“It means a lot. Winning a trophy is never easy, so it’s truly special. We celebrate with joy and satisfaction. To be alongside top European teams like Bayern and Barcelona is very difficult. Especially in the second half, we were outstanding. In the first 15 minutes, they pressed us hard as usual, but then we gradually started to control the second balls.”

“In the second half, Doku was excellent. Rodri and Bernardo Silva were in the positions we needed them to be. In the end, we achieved an incredible victory. Of course, this trophy is not the Champions League or the Premier League, everyone knows that. But beating an opponent like this makes it even more special.”

On what the win means for young players like O’Reilly and Khusanov:
“It’s very important for the club, not just for the young players. Look at O’Reilly’s performance today, and everyone else as well. Trafford saved us in the very first minute. He was unbelievable against Newcastle, I remember he made two world-class saves. Everyone contributed.”

On his celebration after the second goal:
“I just wanted to get another yellow card, that’s why I celebrated like that. Against Arsenal, in a match like this, it’s impossible not to release emotions. I’m not artificial intelligence, I’m a human being. If I want to celebrate, I will celebrate. It’s not disrespectful to Arsenal or their fans—I was celebrating with my people. I’m human, I have emotions, I shout, I celebrate, I express myself. And this desire to win trophies is something that gets transmitted to the players.”

On whether the second-half performance proves his philosophy is right:
“Of course, because we won. Even if we had lost this game, or lost to Real Madrid, I would still believe in my ideas. Football is beautiful, there are thousands of styles, shaped by clubs, academies, coaches, and players. But we won, so Guardiola is right—this discussion is over. I truly believe this is the right path. I like to see my team play this way. Of course, you need to adapt and make adjustments, but I always believe in our style—we just need to do it better. Last season we couldn’t always do it, sometimes in the past we couldn’t either, and even this season there have been moments, but we keep insisting.”

On whether this victory will impact the Premier League title race:
“Of course I would love to be nine points ahead of Arsenal, but that’s not reality. It’s a different competition, this win doesn’t directly affect the league. But this trophy will definitely give us a big boost as we prepare for the home game against Liverpool. Today the stands were full of blue, and I’m really happy. This shared celebration will help us.”

“But the control of the title race is still in their hands. We paid the price earlier—draws away to Sunderland, and at home against Chelsea and Brighton cost us important points. Maybe at the end of the season we will regret it. But we still have a game in hand and will host Arsenal at home. Strong teams always drop points—we will try to win our own matches, one by one, and then see what happens.”