Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has issued a rallying call to his players to seize what could only be a “once in a lifetime" opportunity and win the FIFA Club World Cup.
The Spaniard was speaking ahead of the UEFA Champions League winners' opening game in this year's FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia – Tuesday night's semi-final clash in Jeddah against AFC Champions League holders, Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan.
Guardiola admitted that lifting the trophy for the first time would allow City to complete the “little circle" of titles his side had set out to claim during his tenure in Manchester.
And he urged his men to seize the moment, conceding that having the chance to lift the FIFA Club World Cup is an opportunity most players get “maybe once in a lifetime".
He said: “It's a pleasure to be here, an honour. It's the first-time Manchester City is here, which shows how difficult it is and we won't take it for granted. To be here, to be sitting here, playing tomorrow, you have to have done something exceptional in the past.
“Of course, you want to win. Maybe we won't have another chance – maybe yes, hopefully yes. Maybe it's once in a lifetime, maybe two [times]. The players know that and will want to try and perform well tomorrow."
While this is Manchester City's first appearance at a FIFA Club World Cup, Guardiola is a tournament veteran, having won it three times – twice as manager of FC Barcelona and once with German giants, Bayern Munich.
While considered favourites for Tuesday night's clash with Urawa Red Diamonds, experience has taught Guardiola to take no FIFA Club World Cup fixture lightly.
He said: “This is the fourth time I've played this competition and the semi-finals – especially the first one [I managed] – wow, they were really, really tough. This will be no exception. Of course, we want to win this one. This is a trophy we don't have. To close the little circle that [says] we've won all the trophies we could, this is the last one."
He continued: “This is a tricky semi-final. We've tried to get as much information as possible on Urawa. We saw how good they played against Léon from Mexico. We know that to play the final you have to play this first final and perform well and try to win it.
“Football in Japan has grown incredibly in the last ten to 20 years. There is really talented players, the skills that they have individually are really, really amazing. They are sharp, they are fast, they are quick in the transition, really quick. Unpredictable in many cases. That's why you have to give them a lot of respect."
For Urawa Red Diamonds manager Maciej Skorża, Tuesday's semi-final will be packed with emotion. After a hugely successful 12-month spell with Urawa, the Pole will leave the Japanese side following their involvement in the FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia.
Skorża says the match will be a hugely “special" occasion.
He said: “It's true, these are my last games with Urawa Red Diamonds. What can I say? This is a special moment for me. It will be a huge pleasure for me to achieve as good a result as possible in this competition. We're still dreaming about playing in the final. That would be something unique if we could achieve this target.
“We are playing against the best team in the world, under the best manager in the world. The most important thing is our team spirit. That starts from before the game. Ahead of us is an extremely difficult opponent. On paper, Manchester City are a better team in every aspect. But in football, sometimes it doesn't work like that, so we have to believe, prepare very smartly for the game, and I believe in my players.
The FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia reaches its semi-final stage having already welcomed close to 150,000 fans from more than 100 countries, with fans snapping-up more than 90% of available tickets before the tournament even kicked-off.
The tournament final will take place at Jeddah's King Abdullah Sports City stadium on Friday.
