Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola on Lionesses World cup final against Spain and challenge of Newcastle after super cup success
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00:00 Good afternoon.
00:01 Good afternoon, guys, same process as ever,
00:03 Max on either side, we'll set an embargo partway through for 10.30 this evening.
00:08 Somewhere to start, please?
00:10 Mike?
00:11 Mike Mane.
00:12 Hi, Pep, good afternoon.
00:14 Good afternoon.
00:15 I know you spoke about it a little bit on Wednesday after the game,
00:18 the quick recovery that you've got, are you ready to go tomorrow night?
00:22 Is the squad all fit?
00:24 Of course we are ready.
00:26 Of course.
00:30 At the end we need this type of challenges,
00:34 so when we won what we won, we had a team who everyone would have beat us.
00:39 And we need these difficulties for many, many reasons right now,
00:43 for the many important inches that we have,
00:46 the calendar to play with a short, short recovery.
00:51 This is a big challenge.
00:53 Short, short recovery, this is a challenge to prove ourselves again
00:58 if you are able to do a step forward.
01:01 It's never easy in a sport, and when you won what you won, we need that.
01:06 At the end we are at a disadvantage, but that is what it is.
01:11 That is a step to see the team again do it and try it and try it
01:15 and try it in the non-ideal situations.
01:18 So in football and in sport there are always problems
01:21 to overcome that define if you are a good team or not.
01:28 And I never do that, but we need our people more, more, more than ever,
01:34 especially this season, so we cannot be in the stadium just looking
01:39 how good we are because of what we have done, and tomorrow we need them.
01:44 8pm is a good time before to take a beer after the game
01:50 and we need, since the first minute until the end, the support
01:54 because we play against an extraordinary team.
01:58 They continue to do it really well since one or two seasons,
02:02 that they brought perfect players, suit perfect for the way they play.
02:07 See the game against Aston Villa, define perfectly who they are,
02:11 and where we don't arrive, hopefully our people can help us to get it.
02:16 I want to ask you a little bit about Newcastle, because so early on in the season
02:19 you had it almost last season as well at St James' Park,
02:22 how good a test is Newcastle to see where your squad is at right now?
02:26 It's a Champions League team. If you are a team you qualify for the Champions League
02:31 for the next season it's because you are a really, really good team.
02:34 And I think in a short time with the two co-workers from Saudi Arabia,
02:39 people in a short time they put the team there and they have the feeling
02:43 they are there to stay for a long, long, long time.
02:46 Nobody believed it last season, and look what happened.
02:49 They continue with this. Eddie Howe created a fantastic team for many reasons,
02:55 in transitions, in ball possession, in the build-up, in set-pieces and everything.
03:00 They control everything. It will be a massive, massive test for us.
03:04 But, yes, we are there for that.
03:07 How good is Cole Palmer and if he stays how much of a welcome will that be
03:18 in terms of Kevin's injury and helping the squad with what you've got
03:23 in terms of challenges this season?
03:25 Well, it's not necessary to ask me about how good it is, otherwise we would not be here.
03:30 Second, not need to score two goals in two finals to realise how good it is.
03:33 I don't define the player just for that.
03:36 Cole last season, or previous season, arrived at a moment that was extraordinary.
03:41 I remember the game in the FA Cup, he defined the game.
03:45 And after having an injury, another injury, another injury,
03:48 and could not be there, you know, and playing Man City is not easy.
03:51 When you have Riyad, you have Bernardo, you have a lot of players.
03:54 But, of course, right now it's important.
03:56 Last season our place in midfield was Kevin De Bruyne,
04:00 and I will be four or five months out.
04:02 We have Gundo, like he's not here anymore, so we have to adjust a few things.
04:08 We are not at our best, we are not at our top, that is normal.
04:14 We have to adjust a few things.
04:16 But the spirit is there, because we competed incredibly well against Arsenal.
04:21 We lost for the deflection.
04:23 In the final, except 10, 15 minutes, second half, we lost our control against Sevilla.
04:30 And the rest of the game we were there.
04:32 So I don't have doubts about that, but still we need time to adjust a few things.
04:38 The important players are not here, will not be here.
04:41 And John is out, and Bernardo is out, and Ruben, I don't know.
04:45 So, Josco arrived the first minute, didn't train much against us.
04:48 A lot of principals still didn't know it.
04:51 So, yeah, we need time, a little bit of time.
04:53 But in the meantime, we have to try to draw points.
04:56 And we are really pleased for the title we won.
05:00 For the first, we need just one to final the circle.
05:03 In wintertime, we have the final, the World Cup.
05:07 If we are able, all the clubs will have all the titles.
05:10 And this is a joy, a pleasure.
05:12 And tomorrow, yeah, Etihad is staring full.
05:16 Stay with us, please, because we need them.
05:18 Because we are not in our best, best moment.
05:20 So, especially in the bad moments, stay there.
05:23 We need their noise, their support.
05:25 And when they happen, they know.
05:26 It's the first time that we joined together after the FA Cup final
05:29 against United, after the Champions League final.
05:32 Against Inter Milan, after Sevilla won there.
05:34 It's the first time we will come back.
05:36 And hopefully we can celebrate together, enjoying the game.
05:41 And on Newcastle, you mentioned they're a Champions League team.
05:45 Are they a title contender?
05:47 And how good would it be to get a win tomorrow, hopefully,
05:51 to put your marker down again?
05:53 If they handle the three competitions this season,
05:55 the Champions League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Premier League,
05:58 if they handle it well, they can compete.
06:01 But it's completely different when you play one game a week
06:03 or when you play four games a week.
06:05 But if they are able to handle it, of course they're contenders.
06:08 Pep, can I ask you about the Women's World Cup,
06:12 obviously ahead of the final?
06:15 We've seen record attendances in the tournament so far.
06:18 Obviously there's a hope that that translates again to the WSL
06:21 in this country next year.
06:23 But I just wonder, what's been your observation of the growth
06:26 of the women's game over the last few years?
06:28 Very well is the greatest notice for the future women,
06:31 girls' generations for the football.
06:33 I think they arrived to stay.
06:35 What they have done since United States of America,
06:38 with many, many - Megan Rapinoe and other important figures there
06:44 demanding a position in the world football that they deserve to be.
06:47 So, to see the stadiums in Australia how full,
06:51 see the semi-finals, both Spain and especially Australia,
06:55 as a home team, a local team against England.
06:59 And it's so nice.
07:01 I can imagine all the 12, 13, 14, 15-year-old girls,
07:06 like they see now Russo or Lucy Brown or Hole,
07:12 and all the care, all the fantastic women, girls playing football.
07:18 Maybe they dream to be there.
07:20 And as much as the teenagers do sports, whatever it is,
07:23 it avoids many, many bad things in life.
07:26 So it's really, really, really good.
07:28 They make an incredible contribution for the future for the women's football.
07:31 Hopefully it will be a good final.
07:33 Hopefully we win the best.
07:35 And I will be there on Sunday morning at 10, I think it's 10, 11.
07:40 We will be there watching the final.
07:42 Can I ask who you'd be cheering for, England or Spain?
07:45 I support a few.
07:48 I have a Spanish, Aitana Bonmati is a football player.
07:53 I'm completely in love with her for the way they play.
07:56 I would say it's like the Iniesta, woman Iniesta.
08:01 So, playing Barcelona, Barcelona make an incredible impact
08:04 in the women's team in football.
08:07 Of course I have some connections with a lot of Barcelona.
08:12 You know what that means for me.
08:15 But at the same time, I'm in England.
08:17 I know a few, few girls who play here in Manchester City.
08:22 You know that they are in the final.
08:26 So, in the finals, I would love to serve the better team.
08:30 So, in the finals, I always like the better team he plays.
08:33 Hopefully not the unlucky, then certain things can make an influence in football.
08:37 It normally can happen.
08:39 But I'm pretty sure both teams, they play really good.
08:41 And it's impressive what England has done, I have to admit it.
08:44 What Serena has done with the team in the European Cup, I think last summer,
08:49 a home winning and now again a final.
08:53 That means the final, that you are consistent, you are there.
08:57 I'm very, personally I'm very, very, very pleased.
09:00 That is a step that hopefully the FIFA, the UEFA and all the federations
09:04 can support the humans.
09:06 The humans play.
09:07 Because it's nice, it's attractive to watch.
09:09 Because I see some actions, I say, "Wow, they play really good."
09:13 So, some of them, they are really, really good.
09:16 The controls, the passes, how they move.
09:19 How to have the strength, the power for genetic.
09:21 The women are stronger for the women.
09:24 Just for that detail.
09:25 But the rest, they play really, really good.
09:29 Hi Pep.
09:30 When you mentioned that the team needs some adjustments,
09:34 does that excite you?
09:36 Is that a problem or is it maybe the part of the job that demands more creativity?
09:42 No, it's not creativity.
09:43 Every year it depends.
09:44 What happened last season is completely different.
09:46 Even with the same players, last season, even Gundo Stey,
09:49 or Kevin Owinger, or everyone, maybe we should do some adjustments
09:53 because the people know you.
09:55 The people have to find the solutions like something that you have done.
09:58 And I'm pretty sure we have to do something differently.
10:01 What, right now, I don't know.
10:04 Because I will see the team, what we have, the moments.
10:07 The important thing is the spirit is there.
10:09 The guys are trained really well.
10:10 They compete.
10:12 And I know how happy they are.
10:15 You know, every day we arrive here in the training center.
10:19 We open the door and we see the four trophies in front of us.
10:23 And you see the Premier League, the Champions League, the FA Cup,
10:26 and now the Super Cup.
10:28 Wow, say, how nice is that?
10:29 How difficult is that?
10:31 And we love it.
10:33 We love to watch it and we want to continue to compete.
10:37 And now we have a big, big problem, especially with this game,
10:40 but in general.
10:42 But that is what it is.
10:44 So I don't want to--I would love--
10:48 every manager would see the same in my position.
10:52 People went to sleep at 4 a.m. in Greece.
10:54 We play at 10, at 4 a.m.
10:56 Arrive, recovery with 35 degrees, 40 degrees in Greece,
11:00 come back, arrive here late, tomorrow is the previous game,
11:03 tomorrow game.
11:04 Today we cannot train.
11:05 I would train by today, everyone in the pool,
11:07 everyone in the table, massage, nothing.
11:09 We're not going to do anything.
11:11 Because we don't have time.
11:12 And we love one more day.
11:14 But, okay, we accept it.
11:15 This is the challenge.
11:16 Every manager would say the same.
11:18 Where is the challenge?
11:19 There is the problem, difficulty.
11:21 That's why we won.
11:22 Because we overcome all the time these kind of positions.
11:25 In wintertime, always we had less time to recover
11:28 between the games.
11:30 In the boxing days, not the problem.
11:33 We have to go there and try it.
11:35 The more physical team, the transition team in the Premier League
11:37 right now alongside Liverpool, Newcastle,
11:39 have to be incredibly careful in many things.
11:42 But this is what define the big teams,
11:46 how we're competing with the problems.
11:48 When everything is suited, everything is comfortable,
11:51 that is not the point.
11:52 The point is that, it's tomorrow.
11:54 That's why when we play in Newcastle, that cannot happen,
11:59 but we play at home.
12:01 And at home I want to see our crowd, a lot of noise.
12:05 We need them, we need them, more than ever.
12:08 Hi, Pep.
12:11 Did you say that Stones and Diaz are out tomorrow?
12:14 Stones, yeah, Ruben maybe will be fit.
12:17 John is out, yeah.
12:20 Sorry?
12:21 Is that a problem with John?
12:22 Muscular issue.
12:23 In the last training he felt not comfortable.
12:26 I don't know how long he'll be out.
12:28 [inaudible]
12:31 Hi, Pep.