Manchester City vs Burnley: Pep Guardiola reveals the three clubs his side must ‘imitate’ to be the best

Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City must ‘imitate’ Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Juventus in order to be considered a member of European football’s elite.

City kept their hopes of winning an unprecedented quadruple alive on Saturday by safely navigating their way through to the FA Cup fifth round, beating Burnley 5-0 at the Etihad.

Next month, Guardiola’s side will contest the League Cup final at Wembley against Chelsea and face Schalke 04 in the Champions League knockout stages.

And though the reigning champions are four points off the pace in Premier League, their excellent form since the turn of the year has given them new hope of closing the gap on leaders Liverpool.

Guardiola has so far refused to entertain the thought of victory on all fronts and gave the subject of the quadruple short shrift on Saturday.

“I know you are so generous and thank you so much guys, but every time you make that comment we lose a competition,” he said. “I think you provocate me in that way.”

The City manager does, however, want his side to fight for all four major honours for as long as possible as he believes that is the mark of a truly great club.

“It's important now that at the end of January we are still there. At the big clubs, that is the big difference,” Guardiola said.

“I've said many times: what are the best teams in the last decade? Juventus, Bayern Munich, Barcelona. These are the three best teams in Europe.

“Why? Because every season they win the league, every season they win the cups, every season they are there. Because they are the best.

“We can - not get close to them, because it's difficult - but imitate them. Being in the competition until the last stages. Sometimes you are lucky, sometimes not, but be there. That's what I want.

“Premier League, until the end. Carabao Cup final back-to-back? Chapeau, hats off to my players. Cup today, we win the game and get through. Prepare for Schalke.

“That is when you become a better team and a better club. The best teams have to imitate these three teams, not the other ones.”

Competing in four different competitions can take its toll on players and City’s busy schedule of late shows little sign of letting up.

City's trip to Goodison Park to play Everton - which was originally scheduled for the weekend of the League Cup final - has now been rearranged for 6 February.

The decision means that City face three testing league fixtures against Arsenal, Everton and Chelsea in the space of just eight days at the start of next month.

Yet Guardiola believes that his players should see their busy schedule as a product of their own success and consider it a “privilege”.

"How do you have a day off? When I prepared the schedule between Arsenal and Chelsea, we had eight days. Today I wake up and suddenly we play Everton in between,” he said.

“I cannot give a day off. We have a lot of games, so no way. It is what it is. But at the same time I tell them it's a privilege. If you believe it's a handicap, that's a big mistake. It's a privilege.

“When you are 35-years-old you can have long holidays. No problem, you will be retired. Take a year for holidays. But for now it's a privilege.

“Take it, enjoy it. Next one, win again. The competition doesn't matter. Friendly game? Win again. Play good, prepare well. That's the only way. After, you work for the next season.”