Pep Guardiola tells Man City players to “ask” about hunger … and Alonso calls “amazing”

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola responded to the statement of Erling Haaland that the lack of “hunger” has harmed Cityzens during the unobtrusive season – and praised Xabi Alonso after Bayer Leverkusen’s chief announced that he was leaving the club.

A top scorer Haalandwho would soon return from an ankle injury that kept him out of March 30, said that the city “did not have a completely hunger in us” during the season in which they fell out of the race in the title of the Premier League with an extended fall in form and were thrown out of the Champions League in the last 16.

“If it’s Erling’s feeling, players should talk to each other and wonder why,” Guardiola said, adding that Haaland was “ready” to return to the bottom of Southampton (20:00 BST) on Saturday.

PEP 💬 (on reverses in the UCL race) you think there are six or seven teams that can be qualified. We have to make a lot of points and after we score three victories, we will be there.

That’s in our hands. We need to wait for nothing else. This is what we have to do. Win… pic.twitter.com/xmizhtbxaq

– Manchester City (@Mancity) May 9, 2025

What did Erling Haaland say?

Haaland said the city could “find excuses”, including “many injuries in bad times,” but ultimately “were not well enough”.

“We didn’t completely hunger in us,” the 24-year-old said, saying ESPN. “I wasn’t good enough. I didn’t help the team enough. In the end, we weren’t good enough.”

The city could start Haaland in Southampton, after the Norwegian Talisman was an unused replacement when returning to the home of a 1-0 home over Wolves on May 2.

“It was terribly injured, but what can you do?” asked Haalanda, who would hope to appear in Final Fa Cup against the crystal palace on May 17 (16:30).

“You have to recover as fast as you can get as much as possible.

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Guardiola: Alonso ‘amazing’

Guardiola called the “influence” of Xabi Alonso manager “influence” in Leverkusen “incredible” after his colleague Spaniard revealed on Friday that he would end his reign of almost three years at the end of the season.

In his debut season as a senior coach of the first team, Alonso won the Bundesliga and the German Cup as part of the undefeated domestic season and led Leverkusen to the Europa League 2023/24 final.

“All managers who had the opportunity and pleasure to have him as a player always knew it would be a manager,” Guardiola said.

“The way they play and the way he improved the players, he and Leverkusen must be so proud of this partnership they had.”

Southampton vs Man City

The city can take another step toward Champions League Qualifying and win a sixth consecutive game in all competitions when they visit the ejected saints.

“It starts 0-0 and the game is massively important for us,” Guardiola said, adding that Nathan Ake, Oscar Bobb and Rodri stay outside.

Winner Kevin de Bruyne 35. MINUTE They gave Cityzens to win against Wolves, and they are three points purely six -ranked Nottingham Forest with a significant superiority of naked before their last three league matches.

Three points would move to the city level with runner -up arsenal if the Topnica loses in Liverpool champion on Sunday (16:30).

Working toward Southampton 💪🩵 pic.twitter.com/pmhwxjwiye

– Manchester City (@Mancity) May 8, 2025

While City returned a part of a form that allowed them to become a dominant force in English football under Guardiola, the defeat of Southampton last Saturday will make them more and more eager for the season.

A 2-0 defeat in Leicester City’s safety colleagues ensured that he would finish the bottom of the crowd, as well as immediately return to the championship.

Southampton has been without winning 12 games in all competitions from their victory in Ipswich Town on February 1, losing 10 times on the road.