Nunes: Champions League Qualification Would Feel Like a ‘Premier League Title’ for Man City.
Nunes: Champions League Qualification Feels Like Man City’s Premier League Title Amid Disappointing Season
Matheus Nunes has described securing a Champions League spot as Manchester City’s version of winning the Premier League this season, following a campaign that has fallen short of their usual high standards.
The Portuguese midfielder struck a dramatic late winner against Aston Villa on Tuesday, lifting Pep Guardiola’s side to third in the Premier League—four points clear of seventh-placed Villa.
With Liverpool on the verge of clinching the title and Arsenal firmly in second, five clubs are now locked in a fierce battle for the three remaining Champions League places. Nottingham Forest, Newcastle, and Chelsea remain in the hunt alongside City and Villa.
Having entered the season aiming for a record-extending fifth consecutive league title, City’s title challenge unraveled after a significant dip in form beginning in late October. However, their recent win over Villa has kept hopes alive of finishing the season on a positive note, especially with an FA Cup semifinal against Forest at Wembley looming on Sunday.
“This is our Premier League trophy now—qualifying for the Champions League,” Nunes said after netting his first league goal for the club in his second season.
“It’s massively important for us—for the club, the players, and our mentality.”
Despite the significance of finishing in the top four and possibly lifting the FA Cup, the 26-year-old admitted that such achievements don’t align with the club’s ambitions.
“The standards at this club are much higher,” he acknowledged. “We know this isn’t the level we expect from ourselves, but this is our reality now. So we have to approach it with the mindset that this is our Champions League, our Premier League title.”
