I’m a better manager than I was at Barca and Bayern – Guardiola

Pep Guardiola admits Premier League life has been a “big lesson” but feels he is “a better manager”, despite failing to secure silverware with Manchester City.

The Catalan coach is unaccustomed to ending campaigns empty-handed, having enjoyed trophy-laden spells at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

He is, however, guaranteed to miss out on top prizes in 2016-17, with City’s FA Cup semi-final defeat to Arsenal blocking their last remaining path.

Guardiola, though, feels that his experiences at City will stand him in good stead heading forward as he continues to work towards long-term goals.

“I am not a worse manager because I didn’t win the title,” he told Sky Sports.

“I feel as though I’m a better manager than before because I learned a lot and am more experienced. I’ve learned to handle situations better than before.

“Normally when something happens for the first time you know why it is the first time, so for it to happen after nine years is amazing. That is what I learned from that – I tried but I was not able.

“In Spain, there are fantastic teams that are not going to win anything this year but that is going to happen across Europe.

“I am expecting to have a long career as a manager and it will happen again one year.

“I am not at a club who have won a lot of titles like Barcelona, Bayern, Madrid, Inter, Juventus or AC Milan.

“So that’s why you have to discover something new and you have to be better and better to win that amount of titles like United, Chelsea and Liverpool – clubs with more history than Manchester City.

“That is why I decided to come here, it’s been a big lesson for me. That’s why I think about what we have not done well and take the right decision to make be better next season.”

While missing out on silverware this season, City are also sweating on their top-four standing in the Premier League.

They enter a crunch derby clash with Manchester United on Thursday perched just one place and a solitary point above their arch-rivals in the scrap for Champions League qualification.