Guardiola on City injuries, transfers and Chelsea
Guardiola on City injuries, transfers and Chelsea
16/08/2024
CGA, Manchester, UK
16/08/2024
CGA, Manchester, UK
Transcript
00:00Afternoon guys, same process as ever, mics on either side, be mindful it's a Sunday embargo
00:12so the open section is a little busier than normal, and we'll set an embargo partway through
00:16for 10.30 on Saturday evening please, someone to start?
00:21Hello Pep, obviously we've seen the news this week about Oscar Bob's injury, can I ask how
00:29he is and also your reaction to the timing of the injury, the severity of the injury
00:34when he's had such a brilliant pre-season?
00:36Yeah, I was in the training session and unfortunately had a big impact on his injuries, will be
00:52I think the surgery this afternoon, hopefully it's going to be well and we're waiting him
00:56back as soon as possible in three or four months, and we are so sad for him, but not
01:07because it was making incredible pre-season, because it doesn't matter that, when an injury
01:11is a long time it's always a problem, and looking forward to seeing him again as soon
01:16as possible, good recovery, as quick as possible, and yeah that's all.
01:22In terms of the other players returning this week after their extended break, so Kyle Walker,
01:28John Stones, Phil Foden, Rodri, how able do you think they are to be able to play against Chelsea?
01:35I don't know, so just two or three training sessions, they arrived fit, in good shape,
01:44so today in the professional world the players take care even in the holidays, so we'll see,
01:53we'll see today, tomorrow and Sunday we'll see the line-up, but I'm pretty sure they
01:59are ready, maybe not for 90 minutes, maybe yes, or maybe for a few minutes, the important
02:03is that everybody's back and except Oscar, the rest are OK.
02:09How do you feel about facing a Chelsea team managed by Enzo Maresco?
02:15Yeah, happy to see him again, we saw him a few weeks ago in the States, so looking forward
02:22to seeing him again.
02:26Could you just update us on Calvin Phillips and what's happening?
02:29It looks like he's going to loan to Ipwich, and yeah, I think it's close, I don't think
02:37it's already done, you never know until it happens, but apparently he decided to go there.
02:45Not so much with Calvin, because obviously he's not really been playing, but with Oscar
02:50and then Alvarez going to Atletico, does that make it more likely that you're going to have
02:55to look at bringing someone in before the demo?
02:58Maybe, or maybe not, we'll see, I'm really pleased with the squad they have, I know the
03:05vibe is, we have to sign, we have to sign, we'll see, we'll see.
03:12Do you not feel as though you have to have extra insulation, we've spoken a lot about
03:18the games that you've got to play?
03:19I'm really pleased with the squad I have, the players I have, and I'm set, we'll see
03:25what happens in the market, and we can continue until the end in that way, or maybe we add
03:30some players, we'll see, I cannot answer you right now.
03:35Pep, can I ask you about Joao Cancelo, what's the situation with him, is he training with
03:39the first team?
03:40He's training with us, yeah.
03:41And what is the situation with his future?
03:43We will see, maybe stay, maybe go alone, I don't know yet, so he's training with us,
03:51behaving really well in the training sessions, he loves to play football, he loves to train,
03:56and we'll see.
03:57Is there a world in which he can become a first team player for you again this season?
04:02Can happen, yeah.
04:03And just finally on it, have you had any inquiries that you know of for him, has any other club
04:07come in to propose anything?
04:09Not at this stage?
04:10Mm-mm.
04:18Bernardo said after the Community Shield that you'd been very generous with the time off
04:21that you'd given the players after the Euros, that Kyle and Phil and Roderick came back
04:25this week, with Man Utd, obviously Man Utd came back early and started in that game,
04:30does that perhaps mean that we're not going to see the best of City until later down the
04:34line, that you're prioritising rest now over the form of the team in the hope that they'll
04:39be well-rested for the official?
04:41Yeah, we prioritise the rest, absolutely.
04:43I would love to give him even more time, that is what it is, but no, no, I demand the best
04:49from Sunday against Chelsea.
04:52So we know we have to take points as soon as possible, and when the players are fitter
04:59and better in physical condition, they have to be ready.
05:04Because Eriksen Harg, I don't know if you saw yesterday, he said that his players aren't
05:06ready to start the season tonight, obviously his players were back earlier than yours,
05:11does that mean that your players are ready for Sunday?
05:15We have to, we have to.
05:17I don't know what's going to happen, I know it's...
05:19Everybody knows we are not in the best conditions, but it doesn't matter, desire and trying to
05:26do well, and here control absolutely everything of luck, and the vibes of the team, where
05:31it's strong and all together doing what you have to do.
05:34I don't think there are a lot of teams that right now are in the perfect.
05:39So what I'm pretty sure that I learned from my experience in the many years, the season
05:44is so long, and the importance of the players being ready, mentally especially, and for
05:50that you need rest.
05:52And yeah, I could have called them before and arrived maybe in the Community Shield
05:56in better conditions, but I learned that it doesn't matter.
06:01So we try to do the best in the Community Shield, we did it, for a certain moment, the
06:06other ones we suffered, could not go differently in these stages, and will not be different
06:12on Sunday in the Stamford Bridge, but the players that we are here, we have to do our best.
06:18Hi Pep, in terms of Enzo, I'm sure you will say Chelsea have appointed him because of
06:24his skills and his record at Leicester and things like that, but when clubs appoint managers
06:29who have worked with you, do you feel that maybe they are looking to see if some of your
06:33ideas, some of your magic, if you like, has rubbed off a bit on them?
06:37I don't think so.
06:41I would like to say yes, but I don't think so.
06:44The job that Enzo has done in Leicester belongs absolutely to him, to his staff, backroom
06:48staff and his players.
06:50Influence in Leicester was promoted to the Premier League again, my influence is zero.
06:56Zero.
06:57I didn't score one goal, I didn't save anything, I didn't have any idea.
07:03Because I said many times, when we are in my staff, it's not just in one direction,
07:08the info.
07:09I give the info, but they give it to me too, and I learn from them too.
07:12So it's a back and forth.
07:13It's not just what I'm saying, go to the church.
07:18No, it's on both sides and the success for the people who work together belongs absolutely
07:25to them.
07:30On Calvin, why has it not worked at City over the two years?
07:34Yes, you have to have minutes, you have to recover game time, play, play, play, play.
07:40We thought that maybe we would not have the minutes that he has to be, that he deserves
07:45to be.
07:46That's why it's better to have minutes, for the chance maybe in the future to come back
07:49here.
07:50So this is where it is.
07:51So he could be a City player in the future after this one?
07:54Absolutely.
07:55Absolutely.
07:56Pep, obviously Rodri came back mid-week, he got injured in the Euros final.
08:05How is he?
08:06How are you going to have to look after him over the next few weeks?
08:09I don't know, because he's in training, I didn't see him yet.
08:12So I think he feels good.
08:19But we have to touch the training, we'll see when he starts to move his body, how does
08:23he feel.
08:25So looking ahead to Sunday, given he's not trained, so not even in the squad?
08:30No, no chance.
08:31And then just on Cancello, have you two had a conversation after he's come back and started
08:38training?
08:39Have you talked about your differences in the past?
08:42Does that need to happen?
08:43No, no.
08:44In training we say hi, we talk, and in training that's all.
08:49About what's going to happen here and the other one, it depends on his agents and the
08:53club.
08:54At the end, he has to stay, we'll treat him like all the other players, like we have done
09:02since I've been here, with respect, and try to take the best out of his amount of huge
09:09qualities that he has.
09:10So I never doubt about his qualities for a second.
09:13But I don't know what's going to happen.
09:18Do you expect Chelsea to have a bit of a look of Man City with Enzo there, and a lot of
09:27their players like Cole, Raheem, Labierne, do they have a bit of a Man City about them?
09:36Yeah, there is something of that, yeah.
09:37But they remain Chelsea, so of course a few players were here that they were really, really
09:43well.
09:44Enzo was here one season, but many men were in the academy here, so in the first team.
09:50But it's Chelsea team, it's not Man City team, it's Chelsea team with his ideas and what
09:55you have to do.
09:56Can I just ask, with Echeverry is due in January, is it discussed at all that he could come
10:02early, or is it definitely January?
10:04No idea about that.
10:05I didn't talk to Chiqui about Claudio Echeverry, no.
10:13Hi Pep, back to Enzo, what do you think about the job he's got on his hands at Chelsea,
10:17because it's obviously a very difficult job, a lot of managers, experienced managers have
10:21come in, and it hasn't worked.
10:23How difficult do you think it will be?
10:24My advice, give him time.
10:27If they accept my advice for the owners from Chelsea, give him time.
10:31And it will work.
10:33All the managers need time, right?
10:35So I don't know if Chelsea is the place to do this, but give him time and it will work.
10:44This is my feeling.
10:45And were you surprised that, I know you've spoken in the past about Chelsea and the transfer
10:49market and how many players they've bought, were you surprised to see them once again
10:53go back into the market and spend so much money again this summer?
10:56I know you referenced it last year.
10:59You see the Devil's Squad, yeah, it's a lot.
11:04But the reason why they do it, it's not my business.
11:09When all the times judge what Man City do, I will not be the first to say what the others
11:15do.
11:16They can do what they believe is the best for the team, I'm pretty sure they do it.
11:20But if you see the Devil's Squad have more than 40 players, but more than 40, it's a lot.
11:28So this is the reality, but I don't know.