Pep Guardiola has admitted that he has one eye on the Champions League semi-final as he prepares his Manchester City side to face Tottenham in the Carabao Cup final this weekend.
However, the City boss insists that his side will still be doing all they can to beat Tottenham to win the trophy for a fourth year in a row.
Tottenham face Manchester City in the Wembley final on Sunday, hoping to end their 13-year trophy drought and with a new man at the helm after Ryan Mason took over on an interim basis following Jose Mourinho's departure.
With Manchester City top of the Premier League and looking destined to win the title, Spurs have their work cut out on Sunday, particularly given the last-minute managerial change.
But it seems they could be helped by the headache Guardiola and Man City have, having to juggle the Carabao Cup final along with a Champions League semi-final first leg just three days later, before a Premier League clash with Crystal Palace.
Speaking about how he has to prioritise the competitions, Guardiola said in a press conference today: "When we played this competition at the beginning of the season when everyone is fit, it is perfect to rotate and everyone is involved and in January [sic] it is over.
"This season unfortunately it was not over and we have to play right now in the middle of the decisive part of the season.
"I would say the Premier League is the most important title of the season, the second is to qualify for the [Champions League] next season. This is one of the most important titles of the season - ask all the teams who are fighting to qualify for next season.
"The third is Europe, then the FA Cup and after the Carabao Cup."
"Once we are there and arrive in that position the Carabao Cup is normally over for a long time [by now]. Now we play in the middle of an important time of the season with the Premier League and three days before a dream come true in the semi-finals of the Champions League.
"That's why we have a mix of contradictions. It is a final we have to play, we have to win but one eye is on the Champions League, one eye is on Crystal Palace.
"The Carabao [Cup] is nice, we have won three, we want to win four and we are going to play to win the title. But PSG is there, and Crystal Palace is there, and PSG is there. We will see what happens on Sunday."
Could that perhaps be a hint that Guardiola could rotate his squad for the clash with Spurs on Sunday?
