Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says his performance as manager this season has been “really poor”.

City, Premier League champions in each of the last four seasons, are fifth in the table and 22 points behind leaders Liverpool with nine matches remaining.

Guardiola, who has guided City to six Premier League titles since joining in 2016, has never finished a season lower than third with any club during his managerial career.

Asked how he rates his own work as manager this term, Guardiola, 54, said: “This season? Really poor.

“The opponents never gave us a red carpet to win the titles that we won in the past. My duty was to overcome the situation much better than I have done [this season].”

He said the reason this has happened are “a few details”, adding: “Hopefully this will not happen next season. This is important.”

City are hoping to reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the seventh consecutive season when they take on Bournemouth in the quarter-finals on Sunday at the Vitality Stadium (16:30 BST).

But Guardiola says even victory in the competition and qualifying for the Champions League by finishing in the top four would not make amends for their failed Premier League title defence.

“Of course it would be nice to arrive in the final of the FA Cup and win it, and qualify for the Champions League,” said Guardiola.

“That would be a big success but the season has been poor and it’s not going to change.

“Our standards and many things were not good, this is the reality. That’s not going to change for the fact we win one title or qualify for the Champions League.

“We’ll be happy, of course. We want to do it but the season has not been good.”

Thiago Motta’s tenure at Juventus lasted just nine months before the Italian giants dismissed him, following humiliating back-to-back Serie A defeats and exits from both the Champions League and Coppa Italia.

His sacking came as little surprise, with Juventus struggling for consistency despite a promising start to the season.

“It was inevitable,” said journalist Julien Laurens on BBC Radio 5 Live. “You can’t lose 4-0 and 3-0 back-to-back, on top of being knocked out in Europe.”

Motta’s Struggles: From Bologna Brilliance to Juventus Failure

Motta arrived at Juventus with high expectations after an impressive spell at Bologna, where his progressive tactics transformed the club into Champions League qualifiers. However, his approach never fully took shape in Turin.

“I felt for him because I love what he did at Bologna,” Laurens added. “But maybe this was a little too early for him, and it just never got going.”

A major issue was Juventus’ conservative style under Motta. While the team initially showed defensive solidity, they failed to translate that into attacking success. A staggering 13 draws in 19 unbeaten league games highlighted their lack of firepower.

Recruitment Woes and Boardroom Turmoil

Motta’s struggles were compounded by questionable recruitment decisions. Douglas Luiz arrived for £42.35m but was barely used, while Moise Kean, now Serie A’s second-top scorer, was allowed to leave for Fiorentina.

Off the pitch, Juventus face deeper issues. Financial concerns have left them without a main sponsor, and sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli is under fire for missteps in player and managerial hires.

“Juventus is a mess on every level,” said Italian journalist Mina Rzouki. “The management is failing from the top down.”

Can Igor Tudor Steady the Ship?

With Motta out, former Juve defender Igor Tudor has been tasked with rescuing the season. Known for his ability to turn struggling teams around, Tudor has a short-term contract that will be extended if he secures Champions League qualification.

“I want to be here for 10 years, but I live in the present,” Tudor said. “We can’t control what happens in the future.”

Whether he can restore stability remains to be seen, but one thing is clear—Juventus’ problems run deeper than just the manager’s seat.

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke remains “100% convinced” that his side will secure promotion to the Premier League, despite missing the chance to return to the top of the Championship following a dramatic 2-2 draw against Swansea City.

A last-gasp equalizer from Zan Vipotnik in the 96th minute denied Leeds a crucial victory at Elland Road, leaving them two points behind league leaders Sheffield United, who beat Coventry 3-1 on Friday. The result also means Leeds sit level on points with third-placed Burnley, holding second place only on goal difference.

“We have gone many, many steps and right now it’s the final step. That’s always the most difficult,” Farke admitted. “There’s never a guarantee of success, but we have been in this situation before. I know what’s necessary to bring it over the line, and we will try everything to make sure the lads have the best chance.”

Leeds had been five points clear of Sheffield United just weeks ago but have now picked up only six points from their last five matches. Memories of last season’s late collapse, which saw them drop out of the automatic promotion places before losing the play-off final to Southampton, still loom large.

However, Farke insists this year is different. “It’s a different group and a different scenario,” he said. “This season we have been in the leading role, and we are still in a position where if we win, we will finish in the top two.”

With a crunch fixture list ahead, Leeds must now prove Farke’s confidence is well-placed as they fight for a return to the top flight.

Barry Ferguson says he “can’t be happy” with Rangers’ display in their incredible comeback victory over Dundee, but the interim manager praised his team’s character to fight back to win a seven-goal Scottish Premiership classic.

Former Ibrox captain Ferguson said he was “baffled” by his side and lamented “old habits” as they went two goals down twice at Dens Park.

But, with Rangers 3-1 down on the 75th minute, long-range strikes from captain James Tavernier and substitute Tom Lawrence dragged the visitors level before Cyriel Dessers eventually found the net in stoppage time after being denied on multiple occasions.

“Really happy with the three points, but I saw so many old habits creeping in,” head coach Ferguson told Sky Sports.

“They showed character, though, they never gave in. I just felt when we got the goal to go 3-2 that we could get three points.

“We can’t be happy with the performance. I need to get to the bottom of it and I will get to the bottom of it.”

Both teams went into the fixture buoyed by derby triumphs in their previous outings, but it was Tony Docherty’s hosts who sparked an enthralling encounter when Simon Murray cushioned in a delightful finish from a corner within two minutes.

And, after Dessers had passed up his first two clear-cut chances, Joe Shaughnessy bundled in following a calamitous error from goalkeeper Jack Butland to put rattled Rangers 2-0 down for the fifth time in seven games.

Finlay Robertson then had a strike disallowed for an earlier foul before Shaughnessy sliced a Tavernier cross into his own net to ignite a potential comeback.

Any hopes of that looked dead when Scott Tiffoney smashed in a devastating third from 20 yards shortly after Dessers was denied by the video assistant referee (VAR) for a narrow offside.

However, Tavernier and Lawrence both drilled in a beauties of their own within six minutes of each other before Dessers sparked absolute bedlam in the away end and dugout by lofting a close-range finish over goalkeeper Trevor Carson.

The winning moment came just seconds after Dundee captain Murray had rattled the near post in an extraordinary finale, but Docherty’s side, who remain 11th, ended a remarkable match with zero points after looking destined for three.

With the FA Cup reaching its final stages, there’s a real chance that a fresh name—or one long absent—could be etched onto the historic trophy.

The semi-final lineup is shaping up in a way that could produce a first-time winner or a club ending a decades-long drought.

Crystal Palace made a strong case for themselves with a commanding 3-0 win over Fulham, moving one step closer to their first-ever FA Cup triumph. Nottingham Forest also kept their dream alive, edging past Brighton on penalties to reach the final four. A win this season would mark their first FA Cup success since 1959.

Meanwhile, Bournemouth are looking to secure their maiden FA Cup title but must first navigate a daunting quarter-final clash with reigning Premier League champions Manchester City. Elsewhere, Championship side Preston North End and Aston Villa, who play each other in the quarters, are both chasing long-awaited glory—Preston last won in 1938, while Villa’s most recent triumph came in 1957.

“If Bournemouth manage to pull off an upset against City, then suddenly the final four looks very different,” said former Middlesbrough and Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer. “It could open the door for a first-time winner.”

Though Manchester City remain favorites, their elimination would ensure an FA Cup final without the usual dominant clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, or Manchester United—something that hasn’t happened since Portsmouth’s victory over Cardiff in 2008.

With surprises unfolding in the Premier League this season, could the FA Cup be next? For fans of the remaining underdogs, the dream is well and truly alive.

Nottingham Forest’s remarkable transformation over the past year has reached new heights, as they secured a place in the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 34 years.

Their dramatic penalty shootout victory over Brighton at the Amex Stadium kept hopes of a first FA Cup triumph since 1959 alive, marking yet another milestone in what has been a spectacular season.

Goalkeeper Matz Sels was the hero on the night, making two crucial saves to deny Brighton’s Jack Hinshelwood and Diego Gomez.

His heroics continued a trend for Forest, who have now won three consecutive FA Cup penalty shootouts—becoming the first team in history to achieve the feat in a single season.

“In penalty shootouts, you always need a little bit of luck, but I’m really happy,” Sels said after the game.

Captain Ryan Yates, who slotted home the winning penalty, was equally ecstatic. “I was a bit nervous, to be fair—just so relieved it went in,” he admitted. “Matz saved two penalties, and I just knew I had to capitalise and send us to Wembley.”

Forest’s rise has been nothing short of extraordinary. Just a year ago, they were battling relegation after a points deduction. Now, they sit third in the Premier League, on course for Champions League qualification.

With key players rested against Brighton, manager Nuno Espirito Santo seemed to have one eye on Tuesday’s Premier League clash with Manchester United—a match that could further cement Forest’s position in the top four.

Regardless of how the season ends, Forest’s resurgence has been one of the most compelling stories in English football, proving that underdog dreams can still come true.

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola says he values winning the FA Cup above playing in Europe.

The Cherries host Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the competition on Sunday.

The FA Cup winners are guaranteed a place in the group stages of the Europa League the following season.

In an interview with Guillem Balague for BBC 5 Live’s Football Daily, Iraola said: “The FA Cup is, for me, much more important than playing in Europe. It’s a title.

“Sometimes they talk about the cup competitions as a way to get into Europe. I don’t care about Europe.

“We are playing in a final, we are fighting for a title. For me, it’s much more important.”

Bournemouth face a difficult task against seven-time FA Cup winners City, who were beaten in last year’s final by rivals Manchester United.

But Iraola insists there is no reason to believe his side cannot beat Pep Guardiola’s team and then go on to win the competition.

“I think we can win it,” he added. “Probably we are not the favourites, especially with the opposition we have in the quarter-finals but I think we have shown [we can win it].

“We are three games away from winning it. With a good day from our players, we can beat all the teams. I think we have a chance, probably not as big as City or Aston Villa, but I think we have our chance.”