Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola on City struggles ahead of Liverpool trip
29/11/2024
Etihad Training Campus, Manchester, UK
29/11/2024
Etihad Training Campus, Manchester, UK
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Good afternoon, everyone, hope you're well.
00:10Same process as ever with mics on either side of the room.
00:13We'll set an embargo towards the end for 10.30pm on Saturday evening.
00:17Someone to start, Simon?
00:19Hi, Pep.
00:20You didn't lose on Tuesday night, but I would imagine it felt like a defeat.
00:25What have you done since then to try and lift spirits,
00:30give the players more confidence, more belief?
00:33No, today is the first day that we'll see each other again,
00:36after the game against Feyenoord.
00:40And, yeah, back to business.
00:44Even for players like yours that have won huge amounts of games,
00:52so many trophies, all the biggest prizes,
00:55do they suffer from confidence issues when results don't go the way you want them to?
01:02Yeah, of course.
01:03Football is a...
01:05Football players and football is how...
01:09I don't know the translation from Spanish.
01:11It's a mood, you know, how you're confident.
01:14Confidence, I don't know, is the right word to express.
01:18But when the dynamics, I would say, are good, it's always easier.
01:22But you have to accept the situation that we have, that we are right now.
01:27And all we can do, I learned all my life, is move forward.
01:32In the good moments and the bad moments, that's what you have to do.
01:35Prepare well the game in Anfield and continue.
01:37So still we are in the end of November, and Anfield will be the first day of December.
01:43So many, many months to play, many good things to play.
01:45You have to learn and learn and learn, and you can fail down again, OK?
01:50The success is how many times you stand up when you...
01:54Again, again, again, you fall.
01:57So it's not the other way, I know.
02:01So that's what you have to do.
02:03In recent years you've had some problems in terms of your arrival at Liverpool for this big game.
02:12It's obviously a huge game.
02:14Have you got any concerns in that regard at all?
02:17Has the club taken any measures to make sure the players, yourself,
02:23all arrive safely without a problem?
02:26To get to Anfield? No, no problem at all.
02:30It happened once especially, but it was a long time ago.
02:34Liverpool make a statement, Jürgen make a statement, so...
02:38It's forgotten.
02:41Pep, you know what it takes to win this league, obviously.
02:46You also know what the table looks like right now,
02:49so if you lose at the weekend you'll be 11 points behind Liverpool.
02:53Would that be the end of your title hopes realistically?
02:56How do you view that gap?
03:02The situation that we have is not realistic to think about in a big, big target.
03:08The situation is to think about one game as soon as possible
03:11and to give the good momentum to continue, to continue,
03:15and that will come back.
03:18Even in good situations, when we have been in the past,
03:21in November, December, thinking to win the title was not much realistic,
03:25but of course it would make a big difference for the team.
03:28We just lost one game, that is in really good form.
03:31They are so powerful in all departments, especially in the boxes.
03:38It will be difficult, but in the situation that we are in,
03:41they lost a lot of games in a row, especially three in the Premier League.
03:46So, it's not...
03:49Always I think about the target when arriving in March, April.
03:52Where we are right now, OK, we are one or two months ago,
03:55now is the moment to try to do it by November, December.
03:58It doesn't matter what happens on Sunday, it will be more difficult.
04:01If we don't take results, that's for sure,
04:03but still there are many, many games to play.
04:05Are Liverpool the best team in the world right now, in your opinion?
04:08I don't know.
04:11It's one of the best, for the results prove it.
04:14Many players together, Arnaut is making an incredible job.
04:18But I don't know, when years ago they said City is the best team in the world,
04:22I didn't pay attention one second.
04:25So, to go there and take on that challenge,
04:28how great is the challenge for you and your players where you are right now?
04:35Of course the challenge is how strong we are as a team in the difficulties.
04:42That we are not.
04:43In the first knock we are not as stable as we have always been.
04:48I said many times, in the past when we were able to go 3-0 up,
04:52we didn't score the fourth, we didn't score the fifth,
04:55but the game was there.
04:56In our hands, control, all departments fell.
05:01And now in the first moments we are, I don't know how we are going to react,
05:05for obvious reasons that we have, for the desperate you want to win,
05:10for some absence of important players,
05:13the best test to prove how stable we are is Anfield.
05:17Because we cannot expect they will not have that moment and momentum,
05:21and that is how we have to be as a team.
05:28Pep, hello.
05:29You have obviously been through some tricky times as a manager in your career,
05:34but you have never quite faced a run of results like this.
05:37When in your mind does it become a crisis?
05:42You are telling me if we are in crisis?
05:44I am asking you because of this series of results,
05:47when in your mind does it become more than a blip, it becomes a crisis?
05:53Up to you, when you are able to text and write.
05:57We are second on the table, we are not in good moments in terms of results.
06:01In general I have the feeling that we play more than decent,
06:05but not enough to win games.
06:07I said many times that maybe we have to leave as a club, as a team,
06:12me, myself, my players, leave these kinds of situations
06:16to give what we have done in the past and we will be back.
06:19I know that, I don't know when, that is the truth.
06:23But you can judge the situation that we are in.
06:28Of course, when a team has controlled the Premier League for many, many years,
06:32it is normal that the situation happens and what is going on.
06:37But in football it has happened, so accept it,
06:40complete normality that maybe the exception was in the past,
06:43not what happened now.
06:45And how we stand up again, this is a big success in life.
06:49It's how many times you stand up again and again and again,
06:52whatever happened, that is the greatest.
06:55And we have done it in the past and hopefully we can start to do it.
06:59On the other side of that, Pep, if you can win at Anfield,
07:03how much could that kick-start your whole season?
07:08That is a big mistake that you analyse,
07:10when the result does not change absolutely anything,
07:13we will move and it will be better.
07:15But three days against Nottingham Fortress has to prove it,
07:17if you are not stable that is not going to happen.
07:20You are stable when you are 12, 10, 11, 12 games in a row winning,
07:23after it is a team, like we have done in many years.
07:26But now it is just for one game,
07:28it is not going to change the feeling of how we are as a team.
07:31So what we will ask, not the result, is the players back.
07:35That is what I would like.
07:37I just ask the players back, to have the team.
07:40Like we created at the beginning of the season
07:42to try to go everywhere to do who we are.
07:44And from the beginning of the season we could not prove that.
07:47Now I would say it is the situation that we had,
07:51and when people ask me,
07:54what do you want, to win games?
07:56Yeah, but if we don't have the players,
07:58sooner or later we are going to fall down again,
08:00and that is what I am looking for.
08:04Hi Pep, what do you make of Arnaud Slot so far
08:07in terms of the effect that he is having
08:09on the evolution of Liverpool as a team?
08:12It is really good.
08:14Maybe a more positional game,
08:16but the transition to steal for the DNA from Liverpool, from Jurgen,
08:19always is there, in every corner of free-kick.
08:22For you it is a transition for them, how quick.
08:26The weapons they have up front always have been since they arrived here,
08:29before with Mane, with Firmino, Salah,
08:31now with the other players, with Jota, with Nunez,
08:35with Luis Diaz, with Salah, always have been there.
08:40The team has a lot of respect,
08:43now it is a good result,
08:45even in the past when we were fighting the biggest battles we had,
08:48in my period here against Liverpool,
08:50always I have a big consideration,
08:53it is a football club, nothing has changed.
08:55But of course they are doing really well,
08:57they have lost one game in all competitions,
08:59that means they are so stable and they are really good.
09:01But that is good, we will learn from that.
09:03In terms of your squad,
09:05is there any news in terms of players coming in or going out?
09:08We will see today.
09:14Since you have been at City you have had some really tough games,
09:17big finals, big derbies,
09:19but because of the circumstances around this one,
09:21the run you are on, the run they are on,
09:23the difficulty of going to Anfield,
09:25do you think this is the toughest individual game you have faced?
09:28It has always been the toughest one,
09:30last year it has been Arsenal as well,
09:33but of course Liverpool have been the toughest one, definitely.
09:36But this one in particular,
09:38given the run you are on and the run they are on.
09:40It might happen.
09:42I have said many times, in long careers,
09:44when you are nine, ten, eleven years,
09:46you live all the situations.
09:48Fortunately, we live the situation rarely,
09:51a few times we were on the other side,
09:54but I take it like normal.
09:58Of course I am thinking what we can do,
10:02what can I do to the players to help them,
10:04but in a long career as a football player
10:06and manager for many years,
10:08you live these situations.
10:10So at the end we lost five games,
10:13draw the last one,
10:15we should have won, yes or yes.
10:17But it has happened, football sometimes,
10:19what can happen, it has happened.
10:21So don't think much, I would say,
10:23in these situations, go to the principles.
10:25And when you live it, accept it.
10:28Accept it and challenge it.
10:30It's the only thing I can do,
10:32not blame, not point it,
10:34not run away from your responsibility.
10:37I have absolutely all on my shoulders
10:40and I have to and I want it.
10:43So here is a football club, you have to win.
10:46And if you don't win, you are in trouble.
10:48I know that the people say,
10:50Pep, why is he not in trouble,
10:52why is he not sacked?
10:54But we have done the last eight years
10:56and that's why I have this margin.
10:58The people rely on me, the hierarchy,
11:00the people say, OK, let's go and do it.
11:02It will be completely the opposite,
11:04we'll be in the verge.
11:05It is not normal in the big clubs
11:07to do the results we have done.
11:09But what you have to do is accept it.
11:11That's for sure, I want to stay,
11:13I want to do it.
11:14But the moment I feel I'm not positive
11:16for the club, another one will come.
11:18It has to be, but I want the opportunity.
11:20I want the opportunity to give me to try it.
11:22I don't want to run away, I want to be there.
11:24I want to rebuild the team in many aspects,
11:27from now on until the end of the season,
11:29until the next season, to try to continue up there.
11:32So I want to do it.
11:34I ask for that challenge, I would say.
11:37I ask for this opportunity to do it.
11:40Because I feel it, I feel it.
11:43I know what I want to do, I know what we need,
11:45I know what we have to do.
11:47Knowing that in that moment,
11:50our consistency that we had,
11:53obviously we don't have it right now,
11:55but which team around the world
11:58in 10 years is consistent during 10 years?
12:00Tell me once.
12:01Tell me once.
12:02It doesn't exist.
12:03Not even in the NBA, not even in tennis,
12:05not even in any sport, not even in golf.
12:08In a decade of time, like we have been here
12:10in a decade, almost a decade,
12:12be consistent, you don't find it.
12:14I'm sorry, we don't find it.
12:16It's not nice to live, of course it's not nice,
12:20but what do you expect?
12:22That everything is red carpet,
12:24everything is nice and everything is easy.
12:27But that proves how we are as sportsmen,
12:31as competitors, that proves it.
12:34It's easy when you have 10, 12 games in a row
12:36and everybody's fit and everybody's in his prime
12:39and everything is the best age, 26, 27, 28.
12:42Everything is going well.
12:44Yeah, everyone is a compliment.
12:46That is easy.
12:47No, no.
12:48I have to prove myself now.
12:51So it's not excuse.
12:52Our road is not there.
12:53What do you have to do?
12:54Cry all the time?
12:55Your road is not there?
12:56All the four central defenders have not been there
12:58for a long time in the last month.
13:00I have to find a solution.
13:01I have to find a way to do it.
13:03And this is...
13:05I'm trying every day.
13:08Quite a few hands for the embargoes.
13:09We'll go Paul, please.
13:11Pep, when you've had difficult periods at this club before,
13:14you've always said that you've had a lot of support
13:16from the hierarchy, from Kaldu,
13:19and in particular, have you spoken to him this week
13:22or anyone around you?
13:23And who gives you support at this time?
13:26We talk since nine years.
13:29No day, but after the games all the time
13:32and before sometimes.
13:33And yeah, we talk.
13:35And he gave me an opinion.
13:37I gave my opinion.
13:38Chiqui gave my opinion.
13:39The players gave their opinion.
13:40And after, we try to figure out what their thoughts are
13:43and try to move forward.
13:45So he knows perfectly that we are not here
13:48because we are nice.
13:50So we have to take our results.
13:52And he knows that we are going to find a solution
13:55again and again and again.
13:57It doesn't...
13:58For circumstances that doesn't happen,
14:01the club will take the solution,
14:02the decision they have to take.
14:04And you talked a minute ago about stability,
14:06the lack of stability in the team,
14:08which is quite rare,
14:09because we always see your teams as quite solid.
14:11Why do you think that is,
14:12that you don't know how they're going to react
14:14after they concede that goal?
14:16I was saying, we're a team that concedes few goals in many years
14:21to win titles.
14:22You have to concede goals a few chances.
14:26How many chances has Feyenoord had?
14:29Three and a half, four?
14:30Three goals.
14:32It's impossible.
14:34How many chances have we had against Spurs?
14:37A lot.
14:38How many goals?
14:39Zero.
14:41So we are not in the most determined part.
14:47But that changed.
14:48It changed with the players coming back
14:50and getting good results,
14:51and making an effort to live more for everyone.
14:56Hi Pep.
14:57In his final season,
14:58the summer before his final season,
15:00Jurgen rebuilt the Liverpool midfield
15:02with three key signings.
15:04And Arne Slot is obviously benefiting from that
15:06and has taken them on.
15:07Do you think you're facing a similar situation here
15:10in needing to rebuild the team?
15:12And is that one of the reasons why you signed on?
15:14I understand completely.
15:16You have to now change everything.
15:17I'm not completely agree with that.
15:19We cannot forget three months ago
15:21we were champions of the Premier League,
15:23FA Cup final,
15:25and we arrived in the quarter-finals
15:26for the Champions League
15:27and being defeated in the way we played
15:29extraordinary against Madrid.
15:30It's the same guys.
15:32But the football life changed in one thing
15:34and the other one.
15:35The only question I put here on the table
15:37that looks like an excuse,
15:39I know that,
15:40so I take all responsibility.
15:43The squad is really good,
15:44but we don't have the squad.
15:47It's not just Rodri,
15:48the best player nominated.
15:49So it's many, many, many other players.
15:52So with that it's more difficult.
15:54And after that they say,
15:55yeah, we need to rebuild.
15:56Yeah, we don't have six, seven important players.
15:58We have played two weeks, three weeks
16:00without four central defenders
16:02and two holding midfielders.
16:04So the part, like, you have to be sustainable
16:07so it's not there.
16:12Of course it's more difficult
16:13because all the managers, the teams,
16:15depend on the quality.
16:16When we were successful in the past,
16:17it was said,
16:18we work for the mentality, the quality
16:20and the players that we have.
16:22The ideas for all the managers are exceptional.
16:24All of them.
16:26Just to apply for the quality,
16:27the players that we have.
16:28But right now we could not.
16:30But step by step,
16:31the players come back a little bit
16:33and hopefully we can be together
16:35for a long time.
16:37But you say you play bad against Feyenoord?
16:40I don't think so.
16:43We were 3-0.
16:46For the substitutions.
16:49I know Nathan has been injured for one month.
16:51With 3-0, the most logical thing
16:53is not to put a lot of effort
16:55because in a few days
16:56you have 90 minutes more in Anfield.
16:59And Kevin, of course, Kevin needs minutes
17:01and Makati is a guarantee for the control
17:04for the game.
17:05And now it's happened.
17:06Yeah, three times arrived
17:07and making mistakes
17:08and we conceded three goals.
17:10Play bad.
17:11But it's not about play good or play bad.
17:13It's winning games.
17:16We won the travels
17:17and the four in a row.
17:18Do you think always we play exceptional?
17:20Always we win 5-0?
17:21No.
17:22We were at games like it was not good
17:23but we were the final.
17:24We were the way.
17:25We were exceptional.
17:26To find a way,
17:27in one way or the other one,
17:29to win the games.
17:30And now,
17:32I'm not a genius to announce
17:33in front of this beautiful audience
17:35that is not the case.
17:42Hi Pep.
17:43Rafa Nadal was with you this week.
17:47Your squad has got so much kind of mentality
17:50and strong emotions.
17:54Can you still find ways
17:55to use people like Nadal
17:57to teach them new things?
18:00That would be nice.
18:04Especially it was so easy to do that.
18:07That was a pleasure to know him.
18:09I know he's a Madrid supporter
18:10and he came here to go to Anfield
18:12to see Liverpool-Madrid in Champions League.
18:14But before,
18:15because his aunt was...
18:18We were mates in Barcelona.
18:19A friend of mine.
18:21It was a pleasure to see him.
18:23One of the most incredible athletes of the time.
18:28We spoke about sport and everything
18:30and how it's difficult to maintain
18:32for many years
18:33what he or Federer or Djokovic
18:36has done for many, many years.
18:38And at the end,
18:39he retired for the injuries.
18:41Otherwise, we'd be here.
18:42He made an incredible sentence.
18:44He said,
18:45I love tennis.
18:46I want to play tennis.
18:47But my body says,
18:48it's enough.
18:50In Korea,
18:51as a football player,
18:52tennis is a money that you want
18:53but your body says,
18:55it's enough.
18:56So he wanted desperately.
18:58He loves tennis.
18:59He wants to do it.
19:00But I think
19:01his sentence defined
19:02and the period sometimes,
19:03you know,
19:04the human being is a limit.
19:06His sport was exhaustive for many games
19:09and here in football as well.
19:11And that is where it is.