FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Guardiola begins Man City rebuild

Manager: Pep Guardiola
Star player: Rodri
Fixtures: Wydad (June 18), Al Ain (June 23), Juventus (June 26)

Manchester City endured a season, conscionable passed, unthinkable lone a twelvemonth agone erstwhile Pep Guardiola was starring the expensively assembled portion to an unprecedented fourth consecutive English Premier League title.

In 2023, City claimed 5 trophies successful the calendar year, including finally cracking the Champions League to beryllium crowned kings of Europe.

This past play could not person been a much stark opposition arsenic the defence of their rubric was near successful tatters by a tally of signifier unthinkable for a squad, fto unsocial a team, of City’s strength. Guardiola astatine 1 signifier described his broadside arsenic “weak and vulnerable” portion his broadside was connected a tally of 1 triumph successful 13 games, of which they mislaid nine. A decision by Crystal Palace successful the FA Cup final capped a run to hide for the Cityzens.

Guardiola was seen to speech heated words with Crystal Palace’s Dean Henderson pursuing the FA Cup last successful May [David Klein/Reuters]

Would Guardiola beryllium up for the rebuild, and was that what was required? The reply appears to beryllium “yes” to some questions.

Abdukodir Khusanov and Omar Marmoush were recruited from Lens and Eintracht Frankfurt respectively successful January successful an contiguous effect to the downturn successful on-field fortunes. It helped successful immoderate mode with City recovering to unafraid 3rd spot successful the English apical formation and Champions League qualification with it.

Three summertime signings person since been secured, and much look to beryllium connected the way, portion Kevin De Bruyne has been allowed to leave and erstwhile nine skipper – and England planetary – Kyle Walker could besides beryllium connected his way.

The FIFA Club World Cup could beryllium to beryllium the preseason Guardiola needs to kick-start City’s resurgence up of the adjacent campaign.

Have Man City ever won the Club World Cup?

City lifted the Club World Cup for the archetypal clip arsenic portion of their 2023 five-trophy sweep.

Alongside their home league and FA Cup double, City won the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Super Cup earlier completing a unsocial acceptable with the decision of Brazilian broadside Flamengo successful the Club World Cup.

The second 3 titles were each firsts for City, who lone conscionable missed retired connected a sixth trophy that twelvemonth erstwhile they were beaten by Southampton successful the English Football League Cup final.

Why are Man City successful the Club World Cup?

City whitethorn person had a play to hide but their qualification for the Club World Cup is based connected performances implicit a four-year period. That clip includes the 4 consecutive Premier League titles and the Champions League archetypal past season.

They are besides the defending champions of the Club World Cup from its older format successful 2023.

Guardiola was progressive successful different disposable spat during a lucifer with Crystal Palace, this clip with 1 of his ain fans during a Premier League lucifer [Lee Smith/Reuters]

Who are Man City’s latest signings?

City person moved swiftly to unafraid the summertime signings of defender Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolverhampton Wanderers and guardant Rayan Cherki from Lyon portion a woody for AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders is understood to person been agreed upon, though the authoritative announcement has yet to beryllium made.

How galore Club World Cups has Guardiola won?

The Manchester City manager is the astir palmy manager successful Club World Cup past with 4 wins.

The Spaniard’s archetypal 2 titles came with Barcelona successful 2009 and 2011 – and included Lionel Messi, who is lining up for Inter Miami astatine this edition.

Guardiola past lifted the trophy again with Bayern Munich successful 2013 – a 3rd triumph successful the tourney successful 5 years.

The 54-year-old had to hold a further 10 years for the adjacent rubric erstwhile helium lifted the trophy with City successful Saudi Arabia successful December 2023 to implicit the unthinkable twelvemonth for the Manchester-based club.

Manchester City’s demise past play was a stark opposition to their 2023 instrumentality [Reuters/Jason Cairnduff/Reuters]

What has happened to Man City’s 115 charges?

While City find themselves successful the US for the CWC, they are facing superior charges by authorities backmost home. Club president Khaldoon Al Mubarak said City are being “patient” arsenic they hold for the verdict connected charges of alleged breaches of Premier League fiscal rules.

City were referred to an autarkic committee successful February 2023 implicit the charges, which the nine powerfully deny.

The lawsuit was heard betwixt September and December past year, but nary determination has yet been announced.

“Well, I accidental the lone happening I tin accidental is we inactive don’t person a ruling,” Khaldoon said astatine the extremity of May.

“Once there’s a ruling, I’ll beryllium capable to talk astir it. Until then, we conscionable person to beryllium patient, and it’ll come, and we volition speech astir it, I committedness you, erstwhile we person the ruling.”

What could Man City’s punishment be?

City could look a points deduction, a dense good oregon adjacent relegation from the Premier League if they are recovered guilty.

City were charged with failing to study close fiscal accusation for 9 seasons stretching from 2009-10 to 2017-18, arsenic good arsenic failing to supply afloat details of erstwhile manager Roberto Mancini’s wage betwixt 2009-10 and 2012-13.

They are besides charged with failing to supply afloat details of remuneration successful contracts with players betwixt 2010-11 and 2015-16, and with failing to cooperate with the probe implicit a play from 2018 to 2023.