Guardiola admits City were lucky against Arsenal
23/09/2024
Etihad stadium, Manchester, UK
23/09/2024
Etihad stadium, Manchester, UK
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00Hi Pep, will Kevin De Bruyne be available for this next game, and if not, how long is he out for?
00:06I don't think it will be long, but it wasn't today, I wouldn't say what for, I wouldn't know any of the castles, but I think it will not be long.
00:18What's the issue?
00:21So discomforting, I don't know, Poubaldi?
00:24No, not Poubaldi, you're not a doctor!
00:30Some problems here!
00:33Simon, just behind you please.
00:37Hi Pep, you've now faced three of your probably most difficult opponents in the last week, with Brentford, Inter and Arsenal,
00:45how do you feel about the team and their ability to...
00:48We play good, I'm happy.
00:50I cannot expect Arsenal not to suffer in 100 situations, and after 1-2 defend so deep,
00:56and Saka came a lot inside, which is not easy.
00:59They defend well, they are aggressive, one against one, and it's a real tough opponent.
01:04Biggest contender in the last two years, we were lucky to beat them, but I know the battle, we know it.
01:09We know it, we talk about it after the game, OK, this is the level for our contenders,
01:14so we handle it, we accept the challenge, and 99 points, so we'll see what happens.
01:20Last question with Jack, please, guys.
01:22Just in front of you please, Ernie.
01:28Hi Pep, you come up against teams who try and spoil the game quite a lot, and that includes time-wasting,
01:35do you give your players any instruction on how to...
01:39Focus on the game, defend yourself, and focus on the game.
01:47Focus on what you have to do.
01:49So we try to... What we have done many, many years, but defend yourself, that's all I ask.
01:56Neven, I know what the opponent is going to do, is going to face.
02:01Just tactically, there's always a way to try to do it, and defensively,
02:06and the behaviours we cannot control.
02:09Don't go away from the real, the real is important, it's the game.
02:14We are an honest team, we go there and try to do our best, and yeah, that's all.
02:22That must be quite a difficult thing to ignore, though, for the players.
02:26I know you're saying focus on your own game, but when that's happening, it must be easy to get...
02:33Yeah, but don't ask to me, it's like I said to you and your colleagues, so...
02:37I cannot answer that question, there are things I cannot control, I'm outside.
02:41They are concerned if I am a little bit two metres away from my tactical area.
02:46So these kind of things, the rest, listen, I'm not there.
02:52But we will not lose, so this type of... I play many times,
02:56I lost the semi-finals against Inter at home with 10 against 11 as well.
03:00We were not able to come back because it was always a problem.
03:04It's difficult to manage, that's why you have to be calm.
03:07Don't make a fault, give rhythm to the game as less as possible,
03:11because every time, I understand, 10 against 11,
03:13Raya takes his time, long balls, to win a ball, take time to go there,
03:18sometimes with Kram, another Kram, you have to understand it, stay in the game.
03:22Don't become a little bit, it's difficult, but don't stay there.
03:27And we did it, we did it really well, until the end,
03:30we were not arriving, crosses, crosses, falls,
03:33right, left, right moment, try to find a side, crosses.
03:36But the crosses, they are stronger, so they are stronger.
03:40Imagine today without Erling, it would have been impossible.
03:44And maybe the space for the second, you know, from Ruben and Kovac,
03:48we are not the best, you know, shoots from above,
03:50it's the quality of the players, but they try it,
03:52you shoot, it doesn't matter, shoot, shoot.
03:55And yeah, in general, it was an entertaining game,
03:58and would I prefer to win, but OK, I take the point.
04:01Good night, guys.
04:02Thank you, guys.