Pep Guardiola is adamant he would happily forego the Uefa Champions League to repeat last season’s historic quadruple after declaring that winning the Premier League gives him more job satisfaction.
The Catalan’s Manchester City, who did a clean sweep of the domestic trophies, face European champions Liverpool at Wembley Stadium in Sunday's Community Shield.
Guardiola won the Champions League as a Barcelona player in 1992 and as manager in 2009 and 2011.
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Who finishes where in the Premier League in 2019/20?
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20. Sheffield United. Chris Wilder, pictured, has achieved a great deal in getting the Blades up, but staying in the top flight could be a task too far. PA Photo -
19. Brighton & Hove Albion. Graham Potter, pictured, faces a tough ask after taking over as manager from Chris Hughton. Getty -
18. Newcastle United. A tough set of opening home fixtures could be difficult for Steve Bruce, pictured, and his side to recover from. Getty -
17. Norwich City. They need to tighten up defensively but the goals of Teemu Pukki, pictured, can keep them up. Getty -
16. Aston Villa. Jack Grealish, pictured, will have a key role to play in Villa's survival hopes. Getty -
15. Burnley. Sean Dyche's, pictured, team to have a steadier time of things after last season's early struggles. Reuters -
14. Bournemouth. Eddie Howe's side to maintain their attacking ethos though they will help Lloyd Kelly, pictured, can help shore things up at the other end. Getty -
13. Crystal Palace. Once again will be dependent on the goals of Wilfried Zaha, pictured. Reuters -
12. Watford. Concerns over a leaky defence but the quality of Gerard Deulofeu, pictured, should leave them in mid-table. AP Photo -
11. Southampton. Stability should come the Saints way under manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, pictured. PA Photo -
10. Wolverhampton Wanderers. Balancing Europa League with domestic games may prove tough. Will look to more fine form from captain Conor Coady, pictured. Getty -
9. West Ham United. Should be another solid season with the hope Felipe Anderson, pictured, can kick on. Getty -
8. Everton. Bringing in Moise Kean, pictured, is a coup and should help Marco Silva's side continue to progress. Getty -
7. Leicester City. Signing Youri Tielemans, pictured, permanently will boost Leicester's hopes of a real push at the top six. Reuters -
6. Arsenal. Unai Emery will hope the record signing of Nicolas Pepe and the goals of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, pictured, can push them closer to the top four. EPA -
5. Chelsea. New manager Frank Lampard needs big things from Christian Pulisic, pictured, if they are to excel. Reuters -
4. Manchester United. Signings such as Aaron Wan-Bissaka, pictured, will tighten things up and should get United back in top four. Getty -
3. Tottenham Hotspur. Third place again for Spurs, though more is needed from Dele Alli, pictured. Getty -
2. Liverpool. Mohamed Salah, pictured, will be pivotal again but Jurgen Klopp's men to finish behind City again. AFP -
1. Manchester City. Hard to see beyond another title success for Pep Guardiola's, pictured, side. Getty
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But while another would draw him level with Bob Paisley, Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane on a record total for a manager, he insisted his priority lies in England. Winning in Europe, he believes, is rather more a question of luck.
"I would sign right now to do what we did last season again,” he insisted. “Not winning the Champions League and four titles again in this season.
"I think I want to be happy during 11 months. It makes me happy, the Premier League. When I win, the days after I am happier. I go to the restaurants better, I feel better, I work better with my players. That's what it gives me.
"Am I going to wait until February to play seven games with everything on the colour black? From my point of view, it's too risky. You have to handle it.
"To maintain the health of the team, the focus in the Premier League. The Premier League always is the most important thing, the local competition because it is every weekend.”
City’s Champions League exit last season was a tale of misfortune. They exited to Tottenham Hotspur on away goals after Sergio Aguero missed a penalty, Fernando Llorente scored what proved a decider at the Etihad Stadium in freakish fashion and Raheem Sterling had what appeared an injury-time winner overturned, courtesy of VAR.
“One inch offside, no inches offside, decisions, referees, arriving with a lot of injuries, the team is better than you,” Guardiola mused. “For one or two games many things can happen.
"Winning the Champions League is so difficult, so, so complicated.”
Guardiola is an admirer of Liverpool but the accolades were split last season after Jurgen Klopp’s team conquered Europe while City lifted the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and Community Shield.
“Winning the Champions League gets all the credit,” he noted. “But why is it higher than what we have done over 11 months? I'm pretty sure Liverpool would have liked to win the last Premier League [after] 30 years not winning.”
Guardiola believes City’s lack of continental silverware has cost their players individual prizes, arguing their efforts in other competitions are wrongly overlooked.
“Maybe because, for this award, it is seven games: eighth-finals, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final,” he argued. “When you win the Champions League, you will be there.
"In the other 10 or 11 months they don't care for these kind of awards. It is a little bit unfair but it is what it is.”
Now Guardiola feels that Bernardo Silva, a Uefa Nations League champion, is an outstanding candidate for the Ballon d’Or. “Maybe you have to win five titles or maybe Bernardo six,” he said.
“I don’t think one player made a better season than Bernardo Silva last season, even winning with Portugal.”
Sunday’s meeting with Liverpool pits City against a team with no domestic league titles in 29 but back-to-back PFA Player of the Year awards, given to Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.
In contrast, no City player has ever topped the professionals’ ballot.
“In eight years we won four Premier Leagues, and never won: not Sergio [Aguero], not David [Silva], not Vincent [Kompany], not the players in the past,” Guardiola noted.
“So the season we won 100 points, huge respect for Mohamed Salah but Kevin de Bruyne was above and beyond the normal situations.”
If Guardiola has made winning the Premier League feel normal, he thinks it merits more recognition.
