Pep Guardiola has been dismissing all talk of a Quadruple…because he believes Manchester City are actually chasing a Quintuple!
And the Blues boss even joked that unless the Community Shield is counted as part of his team’s trophy haul this season, they won’t bother turning up for it next season – if they qualify.
Guardiola has, of course, repeatedly corrected anyone who talks about the four trophies his team can win this season, or who has referred to the Carabao Cup as the first trophy in the bag.
Guardiola is preparing his team for the next phase of their assault on an unprecedented haul of trophies - whether you count four or five - as they square up to Spurs in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final tomorrow night.
And he revealed the extent of his exasperation, suggesting that City might as well stay on the beach if no-one is going to count the August showpiece as a trophy won.
The Spanish Super Cup is held in higher esteem, and it is the same in most other European countries, while the Community Shield - contested by the Premier League champions and FA Cup winners - tends to be seen as a meaningless, pre-season curtain-raiser over here.
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Guardiola is having none of that.
“It was nice. But nobody counts it,” was his response.
And when asked why that was, he was in jocular mood – but with a serious edge.
“That is the question,” he said. “That is the question - I would like to have an answer.
“The people say we won one title, so the Community Shield? Maybe it counted for last season, but last season when we went on holidays, it was not in our pocket.
“Of course in Spain, in Germany, where I have been, the Super Cup is an important trophy.
“Always we had the feeling we won two titles this season so far, and we have three to play. So that is what we believe.
“But the people say all the time ‘just one title, one title.’
“OK, next season, if we are able to beat Liverpool and win the Premier League, next season we are not going to play the Community Shield.
“Because why? It doesn’t count! It will be longer holidays in summer time, and we will be fresh for the Premier League and Champions League.”
The Spanish Super Cup is always seen as part of the record Barcelona haul of six trophies in a year, which they achieved under Guardiola.
And it has irked some City fans that when Manchester United won the Community Shield in 2016 it was billed as Jose Mourinho’s “first trophy” at his new club.
City’s triumph over Chelsea in August was not described in the same way, and Guardiola finds that frustrating.
Asked why the clash of champions and cup holders is held in far less regard in England, he said: "I don’t know, really I don’t know. We were happy, of course. We know we won that title, the Community Shield, is a Super Cup in the rest of Europe, in the world. That is what it is.”
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