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Tag: Pep Guardiola

  • Pep Guardiola reacts over Solskjaer foul claims

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has dismissed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s claim that the Citizens will use tactical fouling to prevent Manchester United from counter-attacking in Wednesday’s crucial derby.

    Guardiola’s City need a win to go back above Liverpool in the Premier League title race, while United will be looking to reignite their hopes of top-four finish at Old Trafford.

    United manager Solskjaer said on Tuesday morning that he had ‘no doubt’ that City will ‘snap at your ankles and heels and kick you.’

    When informed of Solskajer’s comments, Guardiola said: “Did he say that? With 75 per cent the average, or 65-70 per cent average of the ball, how do you do that?

    “I never prepare a game in my 10 seasons as a manager thinking about these kind of things, never. And my players can talk better than me about that. The players who I had in Barcelona, Bayern Munich and here.

    “I’m concerned about many, many other things about the game we have to play to beat them than these kind of things. Tomorrow in the press conference after the game you can ask him (Solskjaer) again about that.”

  • International break: I pray my players don’t get injured – Guardiola

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he is praying his players return from the international break free from injury.

    City remain in the hunt for the quadruple this season but slipped back down to second in the Premier League table following Liverpool’s 2-1 win at Fulham on Super Sunday.

    Only a handful of senior players will remain in Manchester during the last international break of the season and Guardiola hopes he will not have to contend with any fresh injury concerns when the others return.

    “I pray, pray, that they come back fit,” Guardiola told City’s website.

     

    “They have to go to their national teams, they have to go, enjoy and play for their country, but I hope they can come back fit like they are now.

    “Maybe they will go away, score three goals and return with the same rhythm, who knows? I just want them fit and here.

    “Sergio, David Silva, Aymeric Laporte and a few others will have a week’s rest. They will have a training programme to do a little bit each day and then a week of normal training ahead of the Fulham game.”

    City could face as many as eight games in April but Guardiola is confident his side have the physical and mental strength to maintain their challenge on all fronts.

    “With the fixtures we have in April, we need everybody – it’s crazy,” he said.

    “Everybody is going to play and Kevin (De Bruyne), Ferna (Fernandinho), John (Stones), Benjamin (Mendy)… they are all going to be back soon, and we need them.

    “Everybody has contributed, and it has been massive. We are demanding more and more, and we have to train hard and then play well as possible again and again and again.

  • I’ll be judged on Champions League success – Guardiola

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola accepts his time at the Etihad is likely to be judged on whether he succeeds in the Champions League or not.

    The City boss has set extraordinarily high standards for himself having previously guided Barcelona to victory in the competition twice.

    In comparison to that his spell in charge of Bayern Munich, where he was a three-time losing semi-finalist, is generally regarded as a disappointment, despite winning three Bundesliga titles and two German Cups.

    Already at City, Guardiola has won the Premier League by a record margin and the League Cup twice, but he expects Europe to be the barometer of whether his reign is a success or failure.

    He said: “I was judged in Munich in that way so I will be judged here as well. My period in Munich was not good for most people because we didn’t get one final. We got semi-finals but we didn’t get a final and we were judged.

    “So, I’m a lucky guy. My standards are high. I have to reach it.”

    Guardiola was speaking after learning his side will face Premier League rivals Tottenham in the quarter-finals of this season’s competition next month.

    He recognises such judgements are the price he has had to pay for his success but he still believes they are unfair.

  • Guardiola apologises for keeping Mahrez out of Man City squad

    Guardiola apologises for keeping Mahrez out of Man City squad

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has apologised to Riyad Mahrez for the winger’s lack of game time in recent weeks, saying the Algerian’s form is not to be blamed.

    Mahrez has not started for Manchester City in the English Premier League since the victory at Southampton on Dec. 30.

    He had arrived at the Etihad Stadium from Leicester City for a club record 60 million pounds at the start of the season.

    The 27-year-old has impressed Guardiola by making the most of his opportunities.

    But the form of Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sane and Bernardo Silva has prevented him getting an extended run into the side.

    “I am the reason (he has not played). He is absolutely not guilty,” Guardiola told reporters. “I am sad because he is training incredibly.

    “We have incredible players, like for example Bernardo and Raz (Sterling) in top, top form and that is the only reason why. There’s no particular reason, like being upset or something like that.

    “He is a guy we are happy with, but unfortunately I am not kind with him. In fact, I cannot give him the minutes he deserves. So, I’m sorry. That’s all I can say.”

    Mahrez is set to be involved in Manchester City’s FA Cup fifth round trip to Newport County on Saturday.

    There, the winger will aim to add to his nine goals in all competitions this season.

    Guardiola expects Mahrez to get his share of regular first-team football during the season run-in, with Manchester City still fighting for four trophies.

    “Give him five or six games in a row playing and he is going to play at the level of Sterling or Bernardo, or the players who play,” the Spanish manager added.

    “Just keep going, not complain too much, move forward and fight more and more. His time is coming and I’m pretty sure he is going to play good.”

  • Chelsea manager Sarri reveals why he snubbed Guardiola

    Chelsea manager, Maurizio Sarri, has said he did not intentionally snub Pep Guardiola’s post-match handshake, after Manchester City won 6-0 at the Etihad on Sunday.

    After the full-time whistle, the Italian walked straight past Guardiola’s outstretched hand and down the tunnel, with assistant Gianfranco Zola having to placate the Spaniard instead.

    Speaking to Sky Sports later on, Sarri insists he was too keen to return to the dressing room.

    “I didn’t see him at the time but I will go to say hello to him later, as usual.

    “I wanted to go to the dressing room and in the moment I didn’t see him. I have no problem with him,” he said

    Guardiola also insisted he had no issue with Sarri, after his stormed down the tunnel.

    “I just spoke with Zola, Sarri didn’t see me.

    “I have a great relationship with him, no problem,” Guardiola said.

  • EPL: Man Utd are still in the title race – Guardiola

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola insists Manchester United remain in the Premier League title race along with Tottenham, Chelsea, his team and Liverpool.

    League leaders Liverpool dropped points for a second successive game as they drew 1-1 at West Ham on Monday evening, leaving City just three points behind, with Tottenham two points further adrift.

    Fourth-placed Chelsea are 12 points behind Liverpool, while Manchester United, who have won seven out of eight games since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over in December, are two points further back.

    “I never said Tottenham was not there, nor Chelsea,” Guardiola said on Tuesday. “I never put out all five-six teams, and United is making this run of victories every single week, they’ll be there to fight for the Premier League.

    “If Chelsea is able to do games in a row, games in row, they’ll be contenders too to win the Premier League, so everybody is there. The gap is not too big.

    The Spaniard also said, “With 39 points to play for, when you are nine, ten points behind, it’s not too much. Seeing what’s happening right now in the Premier League, everybody is ready to take points.”

  • Liverpool might be best team in world right now – Guardiola

    Liverpool might be best team in world right now – Guardiola

    Pep Guardiola says Manchester City have to “accept” that title rivals Liverpool could be the “best team in the world right now”.

    Defending champions City, who beat Southampton 3-1 on Sunday, go into Thursday’s home game against Liverpool seven points adrift of the Reds.

    “The problem is the other team is fantastic,” Guardiola told BBC Sport.

    “Liverpool are maybe the best team in Europe or the world right now and in top form.”

    While City have suffered defeats against Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Leicester in December, Liverpool have won all seven league games they have played.

    They ended 2018 in style, beating Arsenal 5-1 at Anfield to briefly go 10 points clear of City.

    Speaking about Liverpool’s ability, Guardiola added: “You have to accept it. All we can do is do our job, play our games and after that we will see.”

    In addition to their dominant position in the league, Liverpool have a recent edge over City because they knocked the Blues out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals last season.

    If the Reds were to win on Thursday, they would restore their 10-point cushion and become heavy favourites to win a first league title since 1990.

    City captain Vincent Kompany said the game against the league leaders is the type of match “you live for”.

    “Our pride has been hurt over recent weeks but we have everything to play for. It depends on us,” Kompany told Sky Sports.

    “Every living soul that comes into the stadium has to be ready to fight and give it to them [Liverpool], and we should be able to pull everything out of the locker for that game.”

  • City retain title belief despite back-to-back defeats – Guardiola

    Manchester City still have “belief” despite falling to third in the Premier League after back-to-back defeats, says manager Pep Guardiola.

    The reigning champions trail leaders Liverpool by 10 points and were overtaken by Tottenham after losing 2-1 at Leicester on Wednesday.

    That result made it three defeats in four league games – but Guardiola is adamant there is no cause for concern.

    “Why should we not believe with these players?” said the Spaniard.

    “Look what we’ve done in the last 15-16 months. They are absolute heroes for me.”

    Last season, City became the first team in Premier League history to win 100 points – and finished 19 clear at the top.

    They led Liverpool by two points at the start of this month and were yet to lose in the Premier League this season.

    But they will kick off against Southampton on Sunday 10 points adrift, after Liverpool beat Arsenal 5-1 on Saturday.

    Guardiola’s team then host Liverpool on Thursday, 3 January.

    “Nothing will change if we lose more games,” he said. “Always, we will analyse why it happened and move forward.

    “I am close to them and I will be for the rest of our period together.”

  • Mourinho is so strong, will bounce back – Guardiola

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said Jose Mourinho will bounce back after he was sacked by Manchester United on Tuesday due to re-current bad results.

    The Spaniard believes he and Mourinho will cross paths again in the near future.

    Guardiola and Mourinho established a generation-defining rivalry during their time in opposition as coaches of Barcelona and Real Madrid.

    Speaking after his team’s penalty shoot-out win at Leicester City in the EFL Cup quarter-finals, Guardiola insisted there should be no doubts over Mourinho’s capacity to overcome this significant career setback.

    “When that happens, always I am sad for the mangers all the time,” he told Sky Sports.

    “We are alone, the managers – when the situation is not good we are alone.

    “Always I am close to them. In football, that happens.

    “You know what happens when you are sad. It is because the results are not good

    “He doesn’t need me, he is so strong. Soon he is going to come back and we will play again.”

    Guardiola and Mourinho clashed six times in Manchester derbies, with City winning three and United prevailing twice.

     

  • Racism is everywhere – Pep Guardiola

    Pep Guardiola has said “racism is everywhere” following the alleged racial abuse of Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling in a game at Stamford Bridge.

    A police investigation is under way into an incident involving Sterling during City’s 2-0 Premier League loss to Chelsea on Saturday.

    “Racism is everywhere, it’s not just in football,” said Guardiola on Tuesday.

    “We have to fight to make a better future for everyone, not just in England but everywhere.”

    Chelsea say they are “fully supporting” an ongoing police investigation.

    The Premier League club have suspended four people from attending matches while the investigation takes place.

    A Chelsea statement said evidence of racist behaviour will result in “severe sanctions, including bans”.

    “Chelsea Football Club finds all forms of discriminatory behaviour abhorrent,” the statement continued, adding that the club “will also fully support any criminal prosecutions”.

    The Spaniard added: “I appreciate what Chelsea did and if it happened in my club we would do the same.”