City head to Southampton in the quarter-finals on Wednesday night with the boss expecting a big test on the south coast.
Guardiola has won the trophy on four occasions – a record which is shared with former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and ex-Nottingham Forest boss Brian Clough.
MATCH PREVIEW | SOUTHAMPTON V CITY
He is aiming to orchestrate a ninth League Cup victory for City, following our successes in 1970, 1976, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 – but a chance to become the competition’s most successful coach is not behind his bid for the trophy.
“We want to win it because we are there but it will not change my life if we have the same as Sir Alex,” Guardiola told his press conference ahead of the game at St Mary’s on Wednesday night.
“What we have done in this competition so far has been amazing. To have the same as Sir Alex or Brian Clough does not change that. The important thing is City.
“People say it is the less important competition, but we always try to do our best. Last season we were out early against West Ham but we were magnificent there.
“We have won a lot of titles in the last six years, especially important ones like the Premier League, but still in this competition we are there.
“This is the biggest detail about the way the club are doing things currently in a humble way to say why we should choose one competition. Why should we not play good in one game in this competition? Once we are there of course we want to win it.
“Whatever happens in the future before we leave will not change what we have done. It’s not just about titles, it’s how many things have been amazing and fantastic the way we work and many things we have done and the way we are playing now after many games and many years.
“This is more important than winning the Carabao Cup. Of course we want to win the Champions League or Premier League, we have already inside of us.”
Guardiola also said that winning a record number of trophies would not necessarily make him the best coach that the competition has ever had.
He gave credit to his players and cited Riyad Mahrez’s opening goal in the FA Cup victory over Chelsea as a moment that he had no influence over.
“I don’t know why you are the best for winning trophies,” he added.
“I said many times we have won a lot in a short period of time but it was because in my case we were in three fantastic clubs.
“There are fantastic managers that don’t have the players I have. I never forget the success belongs to the players. The structure of the organisation and the players that you have.
“Without the players you can have all the ideas and incredible work ethic. Without Mahrez’s free-kick in the corner… can you tell me the influence I had in this action from Riyad? I didn’t pay one pound for him!”
