Guardiola on Real Madrid, trying to sign Gonzalez from Barca and waiting for verdict
07/02/2025
embargoed section
CFA, Manchester, UK
07/02/2025
embargoed section
CFA, Manchester, UK
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00There was talk this week that Nico O'Reilly was the subject of a bid from Chelsea,
00:04but City turned it down. You obviously still think he's a big part of it here?
00:08We had a lot of problems with injuries and still we have a lot of problems,
00:11so we are not able to loan players or sell players right now.
00:15So that's why we need Nico and all the players and Maka Divine and many players that we have,
00:22we need all of them because there is still a lot of games and we need them.
00:27And also, Pep, since Kyle Walker left, Kevin steps up as captain, is that right?
00:32Is that what happens? Do you see him as an obvious captain?
00:35Has he got the right sort of characteristics for it?
00:38Everyone is everyone.
00:40So Kevin is his personality as a captain and we are pleased because the players
00:45choose him and he's going to deserve it because he's been the oldest player here for many years
00:51and being a captain is an honour for all of us.
00:54If I can ask a couple of questions. Firstly, it was Chiqui's last window.
00:59Could you describe why that relationship with you two has worked so well?
01:06We trust each other, I would say.
01:10We understand the world of football, we don't judge for just the results.
01:14We are happy and happy when we are getting good.
01:18I'm doing an incredible job here, an unbelievable job for many, many years,
01:26in many, many terms, bringing incredible players and
01:32how patient it is in all the tough situations.
01:38We can make an incredible job as well this time.
01:41Can I ask you about the Arsenal game? It's been time to reflect on the game.
01:47Their celebrations have been highlighted quite a lot about the yoga celebrations.
01:55What are your reflections on that and would you encourage your players to celebrate wildly
02:03and in the faces of their opponents?
02:06No, come on. It's a reaction, so let's forget it.
02:12It happened and it's later in our games, maybe we'll find in the Champions League this season,
02:18otherwise it's over, the chance we can face, and next season we try to beat them.
02:24This season we could not do it at home in a way, and that's all.
02:31It's really, really not important.
02:35I just want to ask about Nico Gonzalez.
02:38Because he plays in the same position as Roger, is there a danger that maybe there will be added
02:42pressure on him from the outside that people may see him as a solution to this big problem
02:46that you've had this season?
02:48No, they can play alongside.
02:51They both have a good pace to go forward.
02:54Nico has played in Barcelona number eight,
02:56for example, arrived to the box, can play in that position as a holy midfielder.
03:02So in terms of physicality, because he's quite tall and has long balls,
03:08and his pace, and especially a player who comes to the academy for the players,
03:12his patterns in the body shapes, in the quality, in the controls, in how he reads the game is really there.
03:21Of course, he's got a lot of experience,
03:23and he has to adapt to the Premier League.
03:25I don't know how much it will take, some players need a little bit more, sometimes less,
03:30but we are really pleased that he's here, because especially for that, for the age,
03:34he's a player for the next many, many years, and Rodri, hopefully, next season will be back,
03:42but maybe after ACL, play 60, 70 games, like he played last season,
03:47it's always a risk, and that's why you have, with Kovac as well,
03:52you have another player that can play in that position.
03:55And given the tough February that you've got, the level that Nico was playing at,
03:59he's been at Barcelona, he's played at a level at Porto,
04:02do you think he's ready to have an impact in those really, really tough games that you've got in February?
04:06Yeah, I think he's ready, I think he's ready, but we'll see.
04:10We'll see the next days, tomorrow, and we'll see.
04:14We'll see the next days, tomorrow, and we'll see how is the training session.
04:19The first impact is good, yesterday and today, but of course I will not put pressure on his shoulders
04:27and have to solve all the problems that we have,
04:29he's just come to help us to be a more stable team and to play better, that's all.
04:36Pep, how difficult is the team selection for tomorrow,
04:41just given what you've been through over the last few weeks with a number of games,
04:44and what you've got coming up as well?
04:48Not much, but we still have many injured players coming back,
04:52but still we are in a situation much better than the past,
04:57obviously reasons for the new signs, we have new four players,
05:01otherwise we'll be in the same situation we've been all year,
05:04still have players that are on the verge to come back, but still they are not ready.
05:09I would say they have not been so complicated this time.
05:14And with the new signings, could you conceivably play the two defenders and Gonzalez tomorrow?
05:24Because it's like a traditional cup tie, it's not the easiest one to come into for a new player.
05:28We'll see, I have an idea for the line-up, I have one or two doubts,
05:33but it can happen, maybe two at the same time is a little bit risky.
05:42Play at home maybe, not away, and this team that is really, really good,
05:48is doing really well lately, but we'll see tomorrow.
05:52Hi Pep, just on the players that are coming back, in terms of Ruben and Nathan and Jeremy,
05:59do they need to play tomorrow if they're going to play any minutes against Real Madrid on Tuesday?
06:05Yeah, it would be good, but if they are not fit completely, it takes a risk,
06:09just for them, maybe get injured again, so we have a lot of conversations with doctors,
06:15with physios, to see how we manage to handle them.
06:22There are players that are injured, that come from an easier to handle,
06:26the other ones are more complicated, so we'll see.
06:29We have 11 players to go through tomorrow.
06:36Hi Pep, in terms of Nico Gonzalez, you spoke a little bit about it in terms of the body positions
06:41and stuff, how much of an advantage is it for a player that's been at Barcelona,
06:46when they're learning the game, to come here at City, how much will that help?
06:54Barcelona at the academy is something extraordinary, I think this club
07:00make an incredible step closer there, especially for the early ages to talk about the fundamentals.
07:07In sports, always in terms of physicality, but as quick as possible,
07:11we have 8, 7, 8, 9, 10 years old, and talk about the body shapes, the controls,
07:15which feet, the passing, the right foot for your mate, and read the situation,
07:21read it, read it, they help you there to start from early.
07:26And Nico was there, when he was in the academy of Barcelona,
07:29and his generation, one of the best, best players have played in the Barcelona team,
07:34and maybe he was not there for many times, because sometimes when you have the position there,
07:39maybe Busquets is there, maybe Pedri is there, maybe top players are there,
07:43and you don't have that space, and sometimes the young players want to arrive and nobody's there,
07:50so it's easier to do it.
07:52And that's why maybe Nico, the quality is there, and I think he makes a step up,
07:57especially in Porto, I think Gonzalez helped us a lot to mature,
08:01to bring in his game something that maybe he didn't have,
08:05and especially to play in Rugelleri, and play like you have to win the Porto League,
08:10that you have to compete in Europe, because Porto every season plays in Europe,
08:15and we followed him for a long time, and I think when he was in the academy of Barcelona,
08:20we tried to bring him here, it was not possible,
08:23and at the end, the situation that we have, that we were looking for many, many times,
08:29since a few months since Rodrigo was injured, so he came, and especially for that,
08:38all the players are so young, so it's for the next six, seven years,
08:42so that's why it's nice for the club.
08:44And he can play as a holding midfielder higher up as well, you mentioned in the pockets,
08:49do you need him to be more of a holding midfielder over the next few months?
08:51Right now, yeah.
08:53Right now I didn't bring him to play in a position where up front we have much more players,
09:02but of course maybe one day he can play there,
09:04but mainly the decision is to play there, in front of the central defenders.
09:11Hi Pep, unusually for this club, you spent big in the January transfer window,
09:16there's some speculation, or a feeling, that maybe that was done as a pre-emptive strike,
09:22because the club may get a transfer embargo if you're found guilty of all the charges
09:27that you're facing through the Premier League.
09:29What is your reaction to that, and is there any truth to that?
09:32Reaction about, sorry?
09:33About the people commenting?
09:35There's a feeling that you've done all this transfer activity because one of the punishments
09:38could be a transfer embargo if you're found guilty of the charges.
09:42I just wondered your reaction to that.
09:45That I'm not agree.
09:47But my words were not convinced for that.
09:50Something is done that we have just, you know, that attribute, a wealthy position.
09:57Just let you know, the last five years, we are in the Spendnet, the last one in the top six.
10:04But in the last three years, we are the last in the top six in Spendnet.
10:11So even after what we have spent this transfer winter, this transfer window,
10:17so we are away from Chelsea, from United, from Arsenal, from Tottenham, even, even, even from Liverpool.
10:24For one reason why, we sell a lot, the last season.
10:27But even with that, even with that, I know in this club, it's always just about the money.
10:35Respect, the other one will be, I think, soon, in one month, I think, will be the verdict,
10:42you know, and to do it, and the sentence, and after we see my opinion about what happened so far.
10:50Still, at the end, every club can do whatever they want, right?
10:53If we can spend it, we have the money.
10:56The money, because in the last five years, three years, in the last ten, we are the third.
11:01In the last five, in the last third, winning what we won, we are behind the top six teams.
11:06So I'm sorry for the comments, that's why I'm not agreeing.
11:12Hi Pep, I think Rodri is in your Champions League squad.
11:15May I just ask, what's the percentage of him ever been playing in the season?
11:18Is it a very small one, sort of 10 per cent?
11:20No, the rule is we cannot, we just can add three players, not four.
11:27Victor, unfortunately, we cannot do it, at the end, he was the youngest one,
11:31but I would love to add in the Champions League all four,
11:35and at the end, for terms of numbers, so Rodri could be there.
11:39And I would love, you know, arriving in the last stage of the Champions League,
11:44he could help us, but I will not put one second pressure.
11:48In my mind, it's next season, Rodri, in my mind it's not here.
11:53But maybe if he came back earlier, that would be good for us.
11:59Just another one on Nico Gonzalez, your relationship with his father in Cheeky's as well,
12:05how much of an impact did that have on the transfer going through?
12:10Well, I had a good relation, but if the player is not good...
12:12LAUGHTER
12:14It doesn't matter, the relation with his father will not be here.
12:18His father, maybe you don't know him, was one of the best left foot I've ever seen in my life,
12:23playing Coruña all the time, Barcelona, Madrid pushed him to bring him there,
12:27but that was his decide, and I was lucky to play with him in the national team one year or two years.
12:32He was an exceptional, but an exceptional left foot player, top, top, top,
12:37one of the best I've ever seen.
12:39In this mythical Coruña, arriving in the semi-final of the Champions League,
12:42he will win many, many titles.
12:44His son, maybe for genetics, is right foot, but in genetics brings something.
12:48He's stronger, his physicality is taller, maybe for a lot of chicken that he ate in his early ages.
12:58But, of course, at the end, if he doesn't want to come, he will not come.
13:02If Porto doesn't want to sign him, he will not come.
13:04If he doesn't want to sign him, he will not come.
13:06So, at the end, if he doesn't want to come, he will not come.
13:08If Porto doesn't want to sign him, he will not come.
13:10At the end, we will agree, and happy this year.
13:12Thank you, guys.