This archive report was first published on 12 July 2020.
Manchester City's wait for a Champions League spot next season may soon be over, with the team's two-season ban set to be overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Monday.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes the team deserves a spot in the Champions League next season, citing their on-field performance as the reason.
Guardiola's comments come after Manchester City secured a 5-0 win over Brighton on Saturday, with Raheem Sterling scoring a hat-trick.
“Today we achieved one incredible challenge, which is qualification for the Champions League mathematically,” said Guardiola. “We deserve to be there because we won it on the pitch. Hopefully on Monday UEFA can allow us to play like this team and these players deserve to.”
Manchester City's Champions League ban was handed down by UEFA in February over alleged breaches of financial fair play rules, but the team has appealed the decision.
Guardiola's team is now focused on the FA Cup semi-finals against Arsenal next weekend and their Champions League campaign in August.
“I have the feeling all the team is ready to play good for what we have ahead of us,” added Guardiola. “The levels we’ve had since the restart, even the games we lost, have been really good.”
Manchester City's win over Brighton was their fourth game in a row where they scored four or more goals, a testament to their improved performance since the restart.
However, the team still faces a tough task in the FA Cup semi-finals and their Champions League campaign, but Guardiola remains confident in his team's abilities.
