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We don’t deserve Club World Cup bonus – Guardiola

By Primenewsghana
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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola does not believe his squad deserve any of the £97m prize money the club would pocket by winning the Club World Cup.

World governing body FIFA has announced the performance-related rewards for this summer's expanded 32-team event in the United States.

Europe's major clubs are expected to get the lion's share, with both City and Chelsea, who qualified by winning the Champions League in 2023 and 2020, respectively, in line to collect the biggest prize pot in club football by winning it.

Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris St-Germain are among the other European heavyweights taking part.

However, even if City triumph in the final at the MetLife Stadium on 13 July, Guardiola feels their overall 2024-25 campaign means players and staff should not receive any additional reward.

City were eliminated from the Champions League before the last-16 stage for the first time since 2013 and are currently fifth in the Premier League - and under severe pressure to secure qualification to Europe's elite competition next season.

"We don't deserve a bonus this season," said Guardiola. "The bonus, if you win, I don't know how much, it's for the club.

"The managers, the backroom staff, the players, we don't deserve - not even a watch."

City start their campaign against Moroccan side Wydad in Philadelphia on 18 June and have been drawn in a group that also contains Al Ain from Abu Dhabi and Italy's Juventus.

The Premier League also confirmed on Thursday top-flight clubs will be able to take advantage of an initial transfer window, that will open between 1-10 June, before the tournament, when competing clubs will be allowed to add to their squad for the knockout phase.

It means there is uncertainty over how long Kevin de Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan will be involved for, if at all.

Both have City contracts that expire on 30 June, although the rules have also been changed to allow short-term extensions.

Guardiola says there has been no developments over De Bruyne's future.

"It's a question for the club and Kevin," he said. "He's a player, so yes (he would like De Bruyne in USA), but I'm just concerned about what happens until the end of the season."


BBC