Riyad Mahrez says Manchester City players have the ‘right mentality’ to retain the Premier League title and that they’ll take ‘more confidence’ into Europe after their disappointing Champions League final defeat
- Manchester City won the Premier League last season with a 12-point margin
- Riyad Mahrez says City will not suffer from complacency as they look to retain
- He adds they will take more confidence from their Champions League final loss
Riyad Mahrez insisted that Manchester City will not suffer from complacency as they bid to retain the Premier League title.
City finished 12 points clear last season and have been installed as favourites ahead of starting their defence at Tottenham on Sunday.
Mahrez also claimed they have unfinished business in the Champions League after the 1-0 defeat by Chelsea in May’s final.
Riyad Mahrez says Manchester City have the ‘right mentality’ to retain the title this season
City go into the new campaign as favourites after winning the league last year by 12 points
‘A normal human being always becomes complacent when you start winning things,’ Mahrez said.
‘That’s human nature. We are here because the club chose us – they think we have the right mentality. The manager pushes us every day, every season. He never takes it easy.
‘Every season they say it’s going to be tighter and tighter and this season it will be to be fair. This season will be tough, Chelsea are very good – Liverpool, United, Arsenal, Tottenham, Leicester too. We are ready.
Mahrez says City will take more confidence after their Champions League final defeat
‘We’ll take more confidence into Europe. We showed how good we are but that is no guarantee this year.
‘We deserved to win it. With the team we have and the football we were playing, we didn’t deserve to lose. I don’t think anyone spoke afterwards. Everyone was very sad. It was difficult to speak about anything.’
Meanwhile, Phil Foden confirmed he will miss the first month of the season with a foot injury sustained at the European Championship. ‘Hopefully it flies by and I can just get back out on the pitch,’ Foden said.
Riyad Mahrez was speaking ahead of the release of ‘Together’, available exclusively to City+ members from Thursday 12th August before being released globally on YouTube on the 19th.