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Tag: Guardiola

  • Why Grealish may leave Man City – Guardiola reveals

    Why Grealish may leave Man City – Guardiola reveals

    Pep Guardiola denied falling out with Jack Grealish but admitted the winger might leave Manchester City.

    During the 2024-25 season, the Englishman’s game time at Etihad Stadium dropped, totaling just 715 minutes across 20 Premier League matches.

    When asked about Grealish being left out of the final game, the Spaniard responded:  “It was selection. The last two months, I’ve had to leave five or six players at home every time.

    “This time, I decided it was these guys. No more than that. Of course, Jack has to play. Jack is an unbelievable player who has to play football every single day, every three days.

    “It didn’t happen this season and last season neither, they need to do it with us or in another place. But that is a question of Jack, his agent and the club. If he stays, we’ll be fine, he will fight like he fought since day one when he arrived.”

  • De Bruyne reveals tears, Guardiola clash

    De Bruyne reveals tears, Guardiola clash

    Kevin De Bruyne said he was filled with emotion when Manchester City beat Real Madrid on their way to winning the Champions League.

    The Belgian scored a stunning goal at the Bernabeu to secure a 1-1 draw for the Citizens before going to win 4-0 in the return leg, reached the final, and beat Inter 1-0 to win the title.

    During the second leg against Madrid, De Bruyne was seen shouting “shut up” toward his manager Pep Guardiola after being told to pass the ball.

    “It’s probably one of the best weeks and the worst that I’d ever had in my life. I remember we played on the Tuesday and my wife’s grandfather, who was really close to us, was dealing with cancer,” De Bruyne told the club media.

    “Obviously he was not really good and I think a lot of people already said goodbye. I was basically the only one who didn’t say goodbye so on Sunday I flew to Belgium to say goodbye.

    “He was in really bad pain, then on Monday I had to fly here, train in the morning, then fly to Madrid and then on the Monday evening he died.

    “It was a really emotional time, then obviously the next Sunday I had to go before the other Madrid game on Sunday or Monday to attend the funeral.

    “Then at the time of his funeral my grandmother died so I had to drive five hours to say goodbye to her, it was an absolute mess. I just played on pure emotion, no sleep. There’s that clip where I got angry with Pep in the Madrid game because I was all over the place. I did what I had to do to play football.”

  • Sell players or I quit – Guardiola threatens Man City

    Sell players or I quit – Guardiola threatens Man City

    Pep Guardiola says he’ll quit Manchester City unless his squad is reduced in size for next season.

    Guardiola was speaking after victory over Bournemouth on Tuesday night.

    Despite City’s strength in depth, Guardiola wants to work with a leaner squad next term.

    He said: “I said to the club I don’t want that (a bigger squad).

    “I don’t want to leave five or six players in the freezer. I don’t want that. I will quit. Make a shorter squad, I will stay.”

    “I don’t want that”

    City’s manager admits he is finding increasingly difficult to leave accomplished players out of his matchday squads.

    Guardiola also stated: “Maybe (for) three, four months we couldn’t select 11 players, we didn’t have defenders, it was so difficult. After people come back but next season it cannot be like that.

    “As a manager I cannot train 24 players and every time I select I have to have four, five, six stay in Manchester at home because they cannot play. This is not going to happen. I said to the club. I don’t want that.”

  • FA Cup: Pep Guardiola furious after Man City defeat

    FA Cup: Pep Guardiola furious after Man City defeat

    Man City manager Pep Guardiola was in no mood to speak in depth regarding the VAR controversy in their 1-0 FA Cup final defeat to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

    Eberechi Eze’s 16th minute goal proved decisive as Crystal Palace secured the first piece of major silverware in their history.

    Perhaps the biggest talking point of the game came at the other end of the pitch, however, after Dean Henderson appeared to handle the ball outside of the box, denying Erling Haaland a goal scoring opportunity.

    VAR intervened and decided against giving Henderson his marching orders, something Guardiola strongly disagreed with, storming the pitch after the final whistle to confront the goalkeeper.

    Speaking to the press after the game, Guardiola was in no mood to talk in depth about the situation, simply saying: “Ask the referee.”

    On why Omar Marmoush took the penalty over Haaland, he added: “I don’t know, I didn’t speak to them. They made a decision. They decide.”

  • I’ve changed the EPL – Guardiola hits back at Capello

    I’ve changed the EPL – Guardiola hits back at Capello

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has hit back at his former AS Roma coach Fabio Capello.

    Capello branded Guardiola “way too arrogant and presumptuous”, claiming he would refuse to compromise on tactics as he wanted to prove City could only win titles with him in charge.

    In response, Guardiola said on Friday: “I listen to everything that people say about me, so be careful.”

    “It’s not the first time Mr Fabio Capello has said that. I’m not good enough to ruin Italian football. A big hug to Fabio. A big hug.”

    However, Guardiola then continued: “I don’t want to pretend to be, and naming again one of the big managers, one of the exceptional managers in Fabio Capello, and look arrogant, but we helped raise the bar in the Premier League.

    “Teams had to go to the markets and that helps people. People want to do good, people are well organised, have good structures, good decisions, good players everywhere.

    “I’ve been here when I went to Bournemouth in the beginning, and now it’s different. And when I went in the beginning in Brighton, and now it’s different. And when I went in Fulham in the beginning, and now it’s different.”

  • Guardiola names 4 teams capable of winning Champions League

    Guardiola names 4 teams capable of winning Champions League

    Pep Guardiola has identified four teams he believes can win the Champions League following Manchester City’s elimination at the hands of Real Madrid.

    City were knocked out 6-3 on aggregate, with Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick sealing a 3-1 second-leg victory for Los Blancos.

    Carlo Ancelotti’s side are the reigning champions, having secured their 15th European title last season, and Guardiola sees them as the frontrunners once again.

    “Of course Madrid are a contender, definitely,” Guardiola said after City’s exit.

    “But there are other good teams around. It will be an interesting Champions League season. Madrid are always favourites for this trophy. There are other teams who are having a very good season but Madrid are always favourites.

    “But there are other teams that are playing very well. Liverpool are having a really good season up until now, Barcelona are amazing, Paris Saint-Germain, with my friend Luis (Enrique) in charge, are on the march.

    “But obviously, Madrid are favourites.”

  • Guardiola exit conversation was difficult – Kyle Walker

    Guardiola exit conversation was difficult – Kyle Walker

    New AC Milan signing Kyle Walker admitted feeling “uncomfortable” when leaving his old club.

    Walker spoke about his anxiety at informing Pep Guardiola of his decision to leave Manchester City.

    The 34-year-old England defender was unveiled by Milan this week, citing a lack of playing time as a key reason for his loan move.

    Guardiola’s response to the situation has been terse, stating that Walker “decided to leave.”

    On going to Milan, Walker said: “When I spoke with Pep, it wasn’t a comfortable conversation because of the respect we have for each other.

    “What he’s won at City, I have won it, too. I like to think he knows what I bring to a dressing room.

    “City was my family — from the cooks to cleaners, kitmen and physios. I like to think I was liked and helped everyone blend in.

    “But things weren’t going well there and I wasn’t playing enough.”

  • Khusanov should not have played against Chelsea – Guardiola

    Khusanov should not have played against Chelsea – Guardiola

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has spokeb about handing Abdukodir Khusanov with an instant start against Chelsea on Saturday.

    The new arrival from Lens was at fault for Chelsea’s opening goal, though grew into the game as City eventually won 3-1.

    Guardiola said: “Khusanov should not have played; he should have taken more time. It’s not easy against Chelsea in the Premier League when you come from another country and can’t really communicate with the teammates.

    “He arrived without training and still has to figure out what to do and the process around it … Imagine going through what Khusanov has experienced and what happened, ‘Oh God!’”

    New City striker Omar Marmoush also said of Khusanov: “Khusanov is an exceptional player and I would like to congratulate him for his debut.”

  • UCL: ‘I can’t be angry’, Guardiola reacts to PSG defeat

    UCL: ‘I can’t be angry’, Guardiola reacts to PSG defeat

    Paris Saint-Germain were the better team against Manchester City in the Champions League.

    That is the view of City boss Pep Guardiola, who acknowledged his team deserved to lose.

    Despite being 2-0 up away from home, City conspired to lose 4-2 in the second half.

    “Am I angry? No. They were better. The players suffer and they were better,” said Guardiola post-game.

    “They had better intensity to win duels. We found our moment to score two goals and go 0-2. When they have the ball they drop us but when we have the ball we create problems for them.

    “At 0-2 and 1-2 we could not play. To defend, you have to have the ball. They were better. They had an extra man in the middle with a false nine and that’s why it was difficult.

    “They were better, and we have to accept it. We have the last chance at home against Brugge and we will do everything there. If not, it’s because we don’t deserve it.

    “We have had tough games away, but the games against Inter and Feyenoord have put us in this position.

    “It’s not about that that we can’t qualify, but after that you have to recover players and do better. They were better and we have to accept it.”

  • Man City to make formal Guardiola announcement

    Man City to make formal Guardiola announcement

    Manchester City are expected to announce Pep Guardiola’s new contract.

    It’s emerged that Guardiola has agreed a new deal with City.

    With his current contract expiring in June, the manager has settled on terms over a new one-year deal, with an option for another 12 months.

    City will move to formally announce the new contract over the next 48 hours.

    With Guardiola scheduled to speak on Friday ahead of City’s clash with Tottenham, management are keen to avoid a presser full of speculation on the day.

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