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Tag: Guardiola

  • Despite injury woes, Guardiola believes Man City will scale through

    Despite injury woes, Guardiola believes Man City will scale through

    Despite injury woes, Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City will bounce back in Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Sporting Lisbon.

    City travel to Portugal after consecutive defeats to Tottenham in the League Cup and Bournemouth on Saturday, which ended an 11-month unbeaten run in the Premier League.

    Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, who is out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury, leads a stellar cast of absentees in Guardiola’s squad that also includes Oscar Bobb, Ruben Dias, Jack Grealish and John Stones.

    Kevin De Bruyne could make his first appearance in seven weeks but is unlikely to start, while Kyle Walker, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji, Jeremy Doku, and Savinho are also not fully fit.

    “You know the situation with Rodri, nominated the best player in the world,” said Guardiola at his pre-match press conference on Monday.

    We know we will struggle, and we have to accept that, and it is fine.

    “The games will be difficult; in previous seasons it was smooth. Personal reasons, injuries, we won six Premier Leagues in seven years. Things change, we have to accept that.”

    Guardiola will come against one of his future rivals as Sporting boss Ruben Amorim takes charge of the Portuguese champions for the penultimate time before beginning his role as Manchester United manager.

    The sides last met in the last 16 of the 2021/22 Champions League when City romped to a 5-0 victory in Lisbon and on aggregate.

    “They have changed players but have same manager and same mentality,” added Guardiola on the challenge Sporting provides.

    “Winning the league for the first time in 20 years and then doing it again last season shows what a good job he has done.”

    Bernardo Silva scored twice in City’s 5-0 win over Sporting two years ago on his return to Lisbon, where he began his career at Benfica.

    He urged City not to make excuses despite their injury woes.

    “With a full squad, we are stronger, there’s no denying that. We have a lot of unbelievable players missing,” said Silva.

    “We have not been able to count on Kevin for six weeks. Rodri is out for the season and other players are out for shorter times. But we never find excuses. This club was never about that.”

    Both sides are unbeaten in the new Champions League format with seven points from their opening three matches.

    AFP

  • EPL: Pep Guardiola frustrated after after Newcastle draw

    EPL: Pep Guardiola frustrated after after Newcastle draw

    Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola admitted frustration after their 1-1 draw at Newcastle United in Saturday’s early kickoff.

    Josko Gvardiol had City ahead before Anthony Gordon converted a penalty for the draw.

    Guardiola later said: “They had moments in first ten minutes and after their goal, but in general we played really good.

    “We made bad decisions at the last minute to make it 2-0. It is always difficult here with their physicality and they defend so deep. We had chances but (Nick) Pope was brilliant so we take the point.

    “When we scored we played better. We make a mistake and after they play better. But then we take the game again and had chances to win it.”

    On Mateo Kovacic and Rico Lewis in midfield, he added: “Mateo was brilliant, Rico too. Bernardo played there. Really good.”

  • Guardiola admits Rodri replacement signing discussed

    Guardiola admits Rodri replacement signing discussed

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admits they may act in January to replace Rodri.

    The Spain midfielder’s season is over after undergoing ACL surgery on Friday.

    City have been linked with Torino midfielder Samuele Ricci as a replacement for the January market.

    And Guardiola said: “We will see.

    “We talked today with Txiki (Begiristain, sports director), we will see what’s going on. We don’t have to decide tomorrow, right?

    “We have time to see the potential problems we will have and after we will see.”

  • EPL: Guardiola talks down on winning Premier League trophy this season

    EPL: Guardiola talks down on winning Premier League trophy this season

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted he currently lacks the motivation to win the Premier League title.A

    lthough aiming for his seventh title in eight years and having won the last four consecutively, Guardiola is not looking too far ahead. His immediate focus is on their league opener against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

     

    “When we arrive in the last month and we are close to winning another Premier League, then that will be the motivation. But now? For me, the motivation to win another Premier League is not there… for me it will be in the last month. Now it’s: ‘Can we beat Chelsea?’” said Guardiola.

     

    City has already secured their first trophy of the season with a penalty shoot-out victory over Manchester United in the Community Shield.

  • EPL: Guardiola given ultimatum to sign new contract at City

    EPL: Guardiola given ultimatum to sign new contract at City

    Manchester City has reportedly set a Christmas deadline for Pep Guardiola to decide his future with the Premier League club. Guardiola’s current contract is set to expire in the summer of 2025.

    According to Sky Sports, the English champions do not want to enter the New Year with uncertainty about Guardiola’s future.

    They have asked him to inform the club of his decision by Christmas, allowing them to begin the search for a suitable replacement if he opts not to sign a new deal.

    Guardiola, who has been with City for eight years—the longest tenure at any club in his career—hinted earlier this summer that he might leave soon, stating he was closer to exiting Etihad than staying.

  • Guardiola tips Rodri to win Ballon D”Or

    Guardiola tips Rodri to win Ballon D”Or

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has entered the discussion surrounding this year’s Ballon d’Or, expressing his belief that Rodri deserves to win the award over players like Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Junior. Guardiola praised Rodri’s exceptional consistency, stating,

    “I can’t deny how happy I would be if Rodri could get the Ballon d’Or. His consistency is just brutal. Being in the race, being nominated, or winning the Ballon d’Or is fantastic.”

     

    Rodri played a crucial role in Manchester City’s success, helping the team secure their fourth consecutive Premier League title, and was also instrumental in Spain’s victory at Euro 2024.

  • FA Cup: We were the better team – Guardiola

    FA Cup: We were the better team – Guardiola

    Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was snappy after their FA Cup final defeat to Manchester United.

    The favourites were beaten 2-1 on the day.

    Guardiola later said: “Congratulations to them on a fantastic season.”

    “We lost the game. Congratulations to United. It was a tight game.

    “It can happen. Many things. At the end they scored two goals and we couldn’t score more.”

    Asked if he thought United were the better team, he replied: “No.

    “The second half we were there all the game. Manchester United are always a transition team. First half we struggled a bit but second half we were better. In general it as a good performance for a final.”

  • EPL: Our 4-0 win over Brighton not an assurance we’ll win the title – Guardiola

    EPL: Our 4-0 win over Brighton not an assurance we’ll win the title – Guardiola

    Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has dismissed insinuations that their 4-0 demolition of Brighton on Thursday night is an assurance they will win the English Premier League title this season.

    City defeated Brighton 4-0 at the American Express Stadium on Thursday night with Foden grabbing a brace, while De Bruyne and Alvarez scored a goal each.

    The result meant that City have closed the gap between them and leaders Arsenal to one point, with one game in hand.

    While speaking to Sky Sports, Guardiola said: “We have been here in the past but it doesn’t mean it is going to happen [win the title].

    “We have to do the things to make it happen. We know Brighton never give up and in the first half we found the right rhythm and we scored in the right moments.

    “In the right moments, we punished them. Brighton away is always very tough.”

  • EPL Title Race: Guardiola predicts outcome of Liverpool, Arsenal games

    EPL Title Race: Guardiola predicts outcome of Liverpool, Arsenal games

    Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola,  has predicted that both Arsenal and Liverpool will win their Premier League fixtures against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa on Sunday.

    Guardiola made his prediction shortly after his team thrashed Luton Town 5-1 on Saturday.

    The victory took City to the top of the table with 73 points, two more than both Arsenal and Liverpool.

    The Gunners host Aston Villa while Jurgen Klopp’s men take on Crystal Palace at Anfield.

    “I don’t know [what will happen] tomorrow but knowing today, they [Liverpool and Arsenal] will win 100 per cent.

    “The only way is to win our games and put pressure. Luton is a difficult game, okay we scored five goals. This is the only message we can do,” Guardiola said.

  • EPL: My players are very tired – Guardiola admits ahead clash with Luton

    EPL: My players are very tired – Guardiola admits ahead clash with Luton

    Pep Guardiola the coah of Manchester City  has admitted that his players are really very  tired.

    Speaking to reporters on Friday ahead of the visit of Luton Town in the Premier League, the Spanaird said they are in “big, big, trouble” due to their current list of injuries.

    Manchester City are in the race with Liverpool and Arsenal for the title race this season.

    But earlier this week, Rodri said he needed a rest following their 3-3 draw with Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday.

    “I need to rest the centre halves also but in [England’s] friendly games, [John Stones and Kyle Walker] got injured so they cannot rest. We are in big, big trouble.

    “I had the feeling we were tired in the last games. We will decide tomorrow what we have to do,” Guardiola said.