Guardiola on Haaland injury latest as City close on more records ahead of Young Boys
Guardiola on Haaland injury latest as City close on more records ahead of Young Boys
Transcript
00:00 Good afternoon, guys, hope you're well.
00:07 Same process as ever, mics on either side, please.
00:10 If you raise your hands, let us know you'd like to ask a question,
00:12 we'll come to as many of you as possible.
00:14 Simon?
00:15 Hi, Pep, first of all, could you just update us on Erling Haaland's fitness
00:20 and whether he is going to be available tomorrow?
00:23 I can't.
00:25 We're training this afternoon, so I don't know.
00:28 He didn't speak with the doctors, not with him.
00:30 Are you expecting him to train?
00:33 I don't know.
00:36 Yesterday he told me he felt much better than the day of the game,
00:40 but I don't know.
00:41 On Saturday you extended your record of winning every single home game.
00:48 During 2023 there's now only one English team that's ahead of you in that
00:53 and you need another two.
00:54 What is the secret of winning all your games at home?
01:00 I don't know.
01:04 I don't know, we don't think about that, we think about which next game we have to try to win,
01:08 being home away, but of course we feel more comfortable to play with our people,
01:12 the size of the locker room, and have a good experience in this stadium
01:16 in the last years at home, that's why they give a lot of confidence,
01:20 but every time you have to win it again and win it again.
01:24 It's not like they're going to lose a game at home or draw.
01:28 This is an exceptional situation.
01:31 Sam?
01:33 Hi Pep, we haven't spoken about him too much this season,
01:35 but I wanted to ask about Josco Gradiel,
01:38 because he's 21 years old, he's come in, played a lot of games,
01:40 played at Old Trafford, played at Arsenal,
01:43 seems like he's done really well.
01:45 What do you think about how he's settled in?
01:48 Yeah, he's settled perfect.
01:51 We knew that he was an incredible person,
01:54 that always has had many chances, that's what we were looking for first,
01:58 and he can play as a central defender, we decided to play him on back four,
02:02 and play in the full-back, offensively, defensively.
02:10 He's incredibly open-minded to listen, to try to see what we want to do,
02:14 he's 21 years old, yeah, really pleased.
02:19 So he behaves really well in every training session, he's incredibly professional,
02:22 so, yeah, really pleased.
02:24 Is it harder to...
02:27 I don't know if it's just playing for your team or City,
02:29 generally, he's only 21, and to play in that position in defence,
02:33 it's not so common, is it?
02:35 Yeah, I have experience already, I played in the World Cup,
02:38 European Cup, played in Leipzig for a few years,
02:42 played to win, or be there, up there,
02:46 won the two Pokals in Germany,
02:49 and with that age is a regular player for a national team from Croatia,
02:54 so I have experience, even for a 21-year-old.
02:57 Rob?
02:59 You obviously got the chance to go through to the knockouts,
03:02 if you win, it would be 11 straight seasons out of the group,
03:06 over that time a lot of big English clubs haven't even qualified for the tournament,
03:08 let alone get out of the group, so what does that say about your consistency,
03:11 and how have you been able to do it?
03:13 Incredible, we have tomorrow, we have to try to do it, to finish.
03:18 Of course we have two more opportunities,
03:19 but we don't have the chance to finish and qualify already for February,
03:24 for the next stage, and it means a lot for the club,
03:27 to start from Roberto Mancini's side and after Manuel Pellegrini,
03:32 so for many years, being qualified is so successful for the club.
03:37 Being there is a success, and after that to qualify is really, really good.
03:42 Try to be calm and prepare well for the game,
03:44 because I reviewed the game, and we struggled after 1-1,
03:46 we struggled a lot, and it's a game where they make really good transitions,
03:52 create problems in behind, and every time we lose the ball in a terrible position,
03:55 they make a real counter-attack, they link really well with the strikers,
03:58 so we have to adjust some things because we didn't do well in the first game,
04:03 and hopefully we can finish the job.
04:07 Pep, there's obviously been more controversy around VAR and the officiating
04:13 in the Premier League at the weekend, and your former assistant was upset.
04:17 Do you yourself notice a big difference between what you encounter in the Premier League
04:24 and what you encounter in the Champions League from an officiating point of view?
04:28 Maybe it's a little bit different, for example the handball is different,
04:34 the law, yeah, a few things.
04:38 But I don't know, I had the feeling in every country there's a little bit of confusion
04:46 about many things, but...
04:48 I don't know, the emotion after the game is difficult for the managers,
04:53 right after we finish the game being here and talking about the feelings are so, so high,
04:57 and it's difficult to handle it.
05:01 Me, I'm talking for myself, I'm not talking for Mikel or any other manager,
05:05 I'm talking for myself, so it's not easy.
05:08 Yeah, hopefully we can...
05:09 They decide that we cannot talk with the Port officials, we cannot do anything, and...
05:17 And the situation is quite similar, last season, it didn't change much.
05:24 Do you think it's at the worst point, and you've been here seven years,
05:29 is this the worst you've seen it?
05:32 I don't know, I don't remember the past.
05:34 There always have been a little bit of problems to solve.
05:38 I don't know, it's such a sensitive issue right now, honestly,
05:44 what happened in many games.
05:45 It's difficult for the referees too, for everyone, for us ourselves.
05:52 I don't know, honestly I don't have a clear opinion,
05:55 because I don't know how to answer that.
05:57 You talked after the Bournemouth game about players not in the starting line-up
06:02 being angry if they're not on the team, do you have an angry changing room at the moment?
06:07 No.
06:08 The mood on the team is the best I remember for many, many years.
06:11 For many, many years I didn't have a...
06:14 I didn't have a good feeling about the team,
06:17 I didn't have a good feeling about the players,
06:19 I didn't have a good feeling about the team,
06:21 I didn't have a good feeling about the players,
06:23 but for many, many years I didn't have an incredible, lovely people.
06:30 And everyone make a support,
06:32 so the amount of sadness for them is completely understandable.
06:39 But it's really good, it's a joy to be managed with this group of players.
06:46 Should you win tomorrow, obviously they were saying a qualification guarantee,
06:52 does that mean you can rotate a little bit more in the rest of the competition?
06:55 Is that what you're aiming to do?
06:57 No, because after we had to qualify,
06:59 Leipzig won against Red Star away,
07:03 so we are not first,
07:05 we want to try to finish first to have the chance to play a home game,
07:10 that definitely is better.
07:14 And it's one game at a time,
07:16 so tomorrow we have young boys,
07:18 try to do what you have to do,
07:19 and after we go to London against Chelsea,
07:23 and game by game.
07:24 So of course we have one or two chances,
07:29 if tomorrow is not going well to qualify,
07:31 but if we can do it tomorrow in front of our people,
07:34 we have to do it.
07:35 Pep, you said on Saturday that you want Doku to be able to perform
07:45 as he does on the left-hand side, on the right-hand side,
07:47 do you envisage that being where you want to play him long-term,
07:52 on the right-hand side?
07:53 No.
07:55 I'm not planning that.
07:57 I know he can do it.
08:00 For example, you remember when it was an action in the young boys
08:04 that Jeremy Mika and Mateu's pass runs him behind and cross in front,
08:10 and Erling arrives in the second post and misses it.
08:15 When you play right-and-right, it's always good,
08:17 you have benefits.
08:18 We played in Longyear with Raheem and Leroy,
08:20 right-and-left, and we had incredible weapons,
08:22 we made the pitch big and in that position.
08:28 It's just so far, Jeremy on the left-hand side has been...
08:33 Wow.
08:34 Right-left and the right,
08:36 as I saw it in the second half against young boys,
08:38 in the first half it was a little bit more difficult,
08:42 and you have to use it, he's so young, 21,
08:44 and for his football, his development,
08:46 his ability, his skills,
08:48 using both sides and playing good on both sides,
08:51 that is not easy.
08:52 I don't see many wingers that can play on both sides.
08:56 He will add to his game a next step, next level.
09:00 Even in the future, maybe he can play inside,
09:03 you know, when he receives the ball in this position,
09:05 he can attack central defenders in this position,
09:08 he will be a better, better player.
09:10 And I will love it, I will love it in the next years.
09:14 If he can get that step, he will be a better player.
09:19 The reason I ask, if he played on the right,
09:21 but maybe Grealish played on the left,
09:22 like they did in Switzerland last week,
09:26 you've got a lot of central midfielders there fighting for two spots,
09:31 Foden, Silva, Kovacic, Nunez...
09:33 Yeah, but there are a thousand million games,
09:36 and Jeremy cannot play all the games,
09:37 I cannot play all the games,
09:38 Phil, last game didn't play,
09:41 maybe tomorrow players maybe don't want to play, I don't know.
09:43 So I want everybody involved, when they behave in that way,
09:47 between them and performing what they are performing,
09:50 I try to rotate, especially in that period of time,
09:52 always I've done it.
09:54 When they're fresh, they have to feel,
09:55 'Oh, I had to play good, otherwise I'm not.'
09:57 I'm not a fan to be 11 players all the time playing the same guys.
10:02 Otherwise, the other ones are so difficult to maintain the stimulation,
10:07 you know, the mood to continue to be here.
10:10 Should Martin come in on Thursday?
10:12 Hi, Pep, with Erling, with Chelsea coming up on Sunday,
10:18 will there be a temptation to rest him anyway tomorrow night?
10:22 Tomorrow I will listen to the doctors himself,
10:24 and if he says, "I'm ready, I don't have pain,"
10:29 I will consider it to let him play.
10:31 Because Tuesday to Sunday there are a lot of games to recover,
10:34 it's not when is it Thursday, at 2.30pm, for example.
10:39 It's completely different.
10:41 And if he can't make it then, Julian Alvarez maybe pushes up?
10:44 Yeah.
10:44 What a great season.
10:45 Right now, if Erling doesn't play, Julian is going to play there, definitely.
10:50 He's having a great season, though, Julian is a sort of number two.
10:52 Quite good.
10:54 Do you like him in the centre-forward role as well?
10:57 Yeah, I like him, yeah.
10:59 I think he feels comfortable playing behind the striker,
11:01 move a little bit, arrive in a surprise position.
11:05 But he can play in both.
11:09 So, Manfredi, please.
11:11 Hi, Pep.
11:15 Apologise for the voice.
11:17 This weekend we had the last...
11:19 Nights are tough in Manchester.
11:21 Copa Libertadores.
11:22 Ah, Libertadores?
11:23 Celebrate for me, then.
11:25 Did you watch the goals, at least, or something?
11:29 What?
11:30 On the final.
11:32 I didn't see anything.
11:34 It's the last participant of the Club World Cup,
11:37 so now you have the full participants in December.
11:40 What's the importance of these competitions for you?
11:42 I know it's a month away, but is it more like one more competition
11:48 in a busy calendar, or an opportunity to win something you never won before?
11:53 I've never won before, yeah, of course.
11:55 It's a trophy that never, never...
11:57 We were there, because to be there you had to win the Champions League,
11:59 it's the first time we've done it, so of course we'll be...
12:01 I think the feeling that players will be ready.
12:04 But you have the two games, from my experience,
12:06 I've been three times there before.
12:08 The first game is so tricky.
12:10 People talking the final, final, final, and the rest.
12:13 I struggle, especially in Barcelona, the first two times,
12:16 that it was not easy to do it.
12:19 The first against Argentina team was so difficult.
12:26 We won in '92, two extra times, and won after that.
12:30 The second one against Santos was better, we played really good.
12:35 So, we go there, we prepare, because I know for us it's a dream.
12:41 When the club didn't have that trophy,
12:44 and how difficult it is to play this competition,
12:46 you have to win Libertadores, or you have to win Inecia,
12:48 or you have to win the Champions League.
12:51 And I have the feeling that the players sometimes talk about that in the locker room,
12:54 I know they will be ready to watch his prestigious career,
13:00 and something that they don't have.
13:02 Yes, hello Pep.
13:06 Was there something in the game in Bern that impressed you so much,
13:11 in the way that the young boys started the game, played the game,
13:13 that perhaps had an influence on the approach of Game 2?
13:17 And did you see Mesut Aliyev's goal on Saturday, were you impressed by that?
13:22 Well, I'm pretty sure my colleagues have seen the game,
13:26 they will adjust something, like we have to adjust,
13:29 when you play the same opponent in the third or fourth game of the Champions League,
13:31 in the short time, it's...
13:33 Be careful for the team we want,
13:36 because you can misunderstand what really happened,
13:40 and they started really well, they had more or less control,
13:44 and the pitch was difficult in some moments, for them as well,
13:48 because they lost some balls that, with another surface, would be easier for them.
13:53 I have a good impression when I played there,
13:57 that's why I was really pleased with the team,
13:58 because I never undermine the opponents in the Champions League,
14:02 when the people say...
14:03 I have a lot of respect.
14:06 And they have to adjust something that they didn't like,
14:11 like I said before, and hopefully we can have the right energy.
14:16 Normally at home in the Champions League we behave well,
14:19 we have some good rhythm, spirit and tone,
14:23 and hopefully tomorrow we can do it and be patient.
14:27 They link really well with the strikers, we struggled to win the second ball,
14:31 they link really well because they are narrow the wingers,
14:34 and after they put a lot of players and good runners,
14:37 they create a problem as part of the goal, the movements are there,
14:40 they are tall strikers, they can link and it's difficult to beat them in that position,
14:45 and after they realise it, they adjust something,
14:48 compared to the first and second game, they have to adapt quickly,
14:51 what they have to do is to be in our space, Manfred,
14:53 to make our process, and after that, be aggressive in the final third,
14:57 the second half was much better,
14:59 Jack and Jeremy were more aggressive than the first half,
15:02 it was a little bit, "OK, I have the ball",
15:04 but they were not with the intention to attack,
15:06 second half, Mateu always attacked, but the space was much better than the first half,
15:10 Mateu was really good doing this,
15:13 and yeah, when you have the chance to qualify for the Champions League again in February,
15:19 you have to take it, you have to take it yes or yes.
15:21 - The goal of Meshach Saturday, did you see it?
15:27 No, I didn't watch the last game, I have tomorrow morning time,
15:31 if they do something different or something like that, I didn't see it.
15:34 We are so busy here.
15:37 Thank you, guys.
15:40 It's done?
15:40 Thank you.
15:42 (scraping)