Pep Guardiola has acknowledged the magnitude of the test that awaits Manchester City, who face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final next.
Man City have to lick their wounds and recover quickly after being knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid.
Arsenal, on the other hand, will head to Wembley full of confidence, with dreams of a quadruple still possible.
Ultimately, what happens before a cup final doesn’t count, as with the first trophy of the season on the line, anything can happen.
Still, Guardiola remains grounded, making it clear what he thinks of Arsenal ahead of what will be a thrilling Carabao Cup final.
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Pep Guardiola says Arsenal are the best team in England and Europe
A 5-1 scoreline is what unfolded when Man City faced Real Madrid, which is the same result as when the Gunners faced Los Blancos last season.
The difference was that Man City lost by that degree, whereas Arsenal won, making it clear that they were ready to challenge for the biggest titles.
This season, the Gunners have grown even more, so much so that Guardiola thinks Mikel Arteta’s side are England and Europe’s best right now.
“We will challenge the best team in England and so far the best team in Europe,” Guardiola said ahead of the cup final, as per Manchester City’s official website.
He added, “We will challenge them, and then we will play them in the Premier League.”
The cup final will give both teams the chance to assess each other ahead of the blockbuster title-race clash at the Etihad a month later.
Guardiola’s praise is great to hear, but it means nothing if the Gunners don’t show why they’ve been described so highly when it matters most.
Declan Rice acknowledges the momentum the Carabao Cup final can deliver
Unlike Man City, Arsenal can still win the quadruple, which is why the Carabao Cup final is so important.
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That first taste of silverware could give Arteta’s side the momentum they need to go strong for the remainder of the season, which is exactly what Declan Rice referred to ahead of the trip to Wembley.
“It could be the start of something, it’s the first trophy that is up for grabs’, Rice told CBS Sports.
“If you win that, the momentum after that that takes you forward is massive.”
The tie is set up to be a blockbuster, as Arteta looks to keep his 100% record at Wembley intact against the most decorated manager in the recent history of English football.
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