Pep Guardiola Man City 2023Getty Images

'TikTok motivation doesn't work!' - Pep Guardiola pleased by Man City 'anger' and doesn't want players to be relaxed after finally winning Champions League as bid to retain European crown begins

  • Guardiola pleased with anger vs West Ham
  • City came from behind to win at weekend
  • Begin Champions League campaign on Tuesday

WHAT HAPPENED? The coach said he was pleased to see his players' reaction at half-time during their 3-1 win at West Ham. City were trailing 1-0 at the break and Guardiola was glad to see his players' desire to turn the match around.

WHAT THEY SAID: "The manager can go on TikTok and repeat motivation but it doesn't work. Every player has to be moved and feel that," Guardiola told a press conference. "It belongs to them, I knew at half-time I should come to the players because they were angry. I said 'Why are you angry, you're losing 1-0 but performing well. Be clinical upfront and you'd be 3-1 up?' We push them, they have an incredible mentality, to never give up."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: City begin their defence of the Champions League this week and Guardiola hopes his team do not become complacent after finally winning Europe's top prize last season. "The important thing is that the players don't feel relaxed. If the board are relaxed, good, they don't score goals. For our club to win the Champions League is something incredible. How many teams have won one Champions League. In perspective we didn't do anything special, just one. For us the club didn't have it, to be part of that is proud."

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IN TWO PHOTOS:

Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep GuardiolaGetty Images

Bernardo Silva Manchester City 2023-24Getty Images

WHAT NEXT FOR MAN CITY? Guardiola's men begin their group stage campaign with a straightforward-looking home game against Crvena zvezda on Tuesday night.

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