Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has spoken about the impact of losing both Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez during the summer transfer window.
Both Gundogan and Mahrez chose to leave the Etihad Stadium in the summer, joining Barcelona and Al-Ahli respectively after winning the treble with Manchester City.
Both played key roles in the Blues’ treble-winning season, with Mahrez scoring a hat-trick in the Emirates FA Cup Semi-Final and Gundogan scoring twice in the Final against Manchester United.
Last season, the pair combined for 26 goals for the Sky Blues, as Gundogan turned down a new contract and Mahrez chose to leave despite signing a new long-term deal in July 2022.
Manchester City received a £30 million for Mahrez, but Gundogan joined La Liga giants Barcelona on a free transfer.
Following the departure of the duo, Guardiola added four players to his squad during the summer, including Mateo Kovacic, Josko Gvardiol, Jeremy Doku, and Matheus Nunes.
City, on the other hand, has struggled recently, going winless in the Premier League since early November and falling seven points behind league leaders Liverpool in the title race.
Guardiola has revealed the impact of both Gundogan and Mahrez’s departures ahead of Manchester City’s trip to Luton Town, where they will look for their first Premier League win in four matches.
“Sometimes it’s not easy, with the problems that we’ve had, with the important players injured, with the new players coming.
“I wanted (Ilkay) Gundo to stay here, I wanted Riyad (Mahrez) to stay here, but they wanted to leave! For a new challenge in life, for family issues or whatever, thank you so much guys, because never it could have happened without you, never, impossible, impossible.
“But, people cannot imagine us being in a bad position like Jurgen said? Of course we can be there! Of course we can lose games and competitions and Premier Leagues.
“But please, don’t do it about consistency, or because of the complacency, or because they are relaxed, or they are presumptuous – the team is not there! The team is not in that way, we’re so honest and doing it every game.”
