Gvardiol on fitness and crucial UCL clash with Brugges
28/01/2025
CFGA, Manchesster, UK
28/01/2025
CFGA, Manchesster, UK
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00Jürgen, questions in English first, then anything from Belgian journalists after that?
00:11Someone to start, Simon?
00:14Hi, when you signed for Manchester City, did you think that you were going to be
00:19one of the most prolific attacking players for the club?
00:23What is prolific?
00:26It means prolific, it means you're a very good attacker.
00:29OK, I get it. I'm talking to this microphone, right?
00:34Yeah.
00:40It's difficult. I've said many times I'm a defender, my job is to protect the goal,
00:45to defend the goal, and if I find myself in front of the opposite goal,
00:53of course I'm going to do everything to score a goal and to help the team in the game.
01:03Hi, Josko. In terms of that role you played at the weekend and at the end of last season,
01:09what are the demands? Because like you say, you've got to be a defender and protect the goal,
01:14but you're in the box making crosses and shots four or five times in the first half,
01:19so how difficult is it to play and do you enjoy having both responsibilities?
01:30That's a good question. To be honest, I enjoy playing in front, obviously.
01:36I like to play with the ball. The only thing is that sometimes if I'm pretty high
01:42it's difficult to come back to defend.
01:46I think we've seen this already last season.
01:51My position is pretty wide, almost on the line,
01:54touching the line and attacking the space in behind.
01:58This is something that is familiar to me.
02:01I think especially after the last couple of weeks we've had to change something,
02:10and that was the idea of the manager. I think it worked at the end.
02:15We're going to see what he's going to prepare for tomorrow.
02:19If I can just ask you about generally, obviously the last few months have been pretty difficult.
02:24Just from your perspective on the inside, who have been the key figures in the dressing room
02:30to try and help and get you through? What's this run been like for the team?
02:36I think everyone in the team, everyone in the staff.
02:40It's been quite difficult, but that's part of our sport, of what we do.
02:51The thing is that we all need to stick together to try to get out of this together.
02:57I think we are in a good way.
03:02Hi, Josko. Dukadik Kusinov was thrown straight into the team at the weekend
03:07and he had a difficult start. How did you see him respond on the pitch
03:12and what have you done as a group to make him feel settled here at Manchester City?
03:17I think first of all he's a nice guy. I haven't talked to him but he seems like a nice guy.
03:23He's done a great job last game, it wasn't easy.
03:31Especially to make a debut against Chelsea in the Premier League.
03:37The good thing is that he's still young. I think he's going to be here for a long time
03:45and all I can say is that we are here to help him and everything he needs
03:51he can ask me or the experienced ones.
03:56Hi, Josko. One of the big things about your Champions League campaign this year
04:00has been conceding goals in quick succession, so the final game, PSG,
04:06and a spot in Lisbon as well.
04:09Can you put your finger on why that has been?
04:12Why you have conceded goals in quick flurries?
04:16So why do we concede goals?
04:19Quickly, OK.
04:26I don't know what to say.
04:31This is football and if you ask me I wouldn't like to.
04:38I would like not to concede goals, but this is what happens.
04:44Especially last game against Paris, we played away, we were 2-0 up.
04:52I think you want to finish the game by scoring one more,
04:57instead of taking control of the ball and moving the ball left-right.
05:05We wanted to keep on going, to score one more,
05:09and then when they can hurt you, and that's what happened,
05:13we conceded one, two, three quick goals.
05:17Obviously we were a bit down mentally,
05:21and I think it's difficult to come back, especially when you play away.
05:28Hi, Josco. There's obviously a lot on the game tomorrow,
05:31you need to win to go through.
05:33Do you enjoy these pressured moments, that it's either all or nothing?
05:39I'm going to enjoy it if I win.
05:42As you said, tomorrow is obviously the final for us,
05:47we want to qualify for the next stage.
05:51I think our confidence is quite good, especially after the last game.
05:58We played at home, we're going to have huge support from our fans,
06:02so I think we're going to be ready tomorrow.
06:07Josco, there's been quite a few questions asked this year
06:11about whether this is the end for one great Manchester City team.
06:15I know you're still a relatively young guy,
06:17but is there a feeling in the dressing room
06:19that you can still achieve more this season?
06:24I think yes, there is still a feeling.
06:30The season is still long,
06:32there are so many games to play,
06:35and I would say we should go game by game and try to win the next game.
06:47Hi, Josco. This is the first year of the new format of the Champions League,
06:52do you prefer this one or the old one?
06:54Have you, after matches, been looking at the table
06:57and trying to keep track of it,
07:00or do you just not take any notice?
07:05I think I prefer the older one,
07:08but I can also say that this one is quite good.
07:12You play four games at home, four away.
07:18I think they're going to keep this format,
07:21so obviously we have to get used to it.
07:24But if you ask me, I prefer the older one,
07:28because you have three teams to play,
07:31you play at home away, so you can prepare.
07:35If you haven't prepared well in the first game,
07:40you can prepare in the second and take the best of it.
07:48Hi, Josco.
07:50There have been a lot of injuries defensively this season,
07:53not just in training but also in games.
07:56How difficult is it to switch the back line two or three times
08:02within a game with the injuries that have been happening?
08:06I'm not the manager, but I think it's been quite hard for him.
08:12So many injuries this season,
08:14and unfortunately we still miss some players.
08:20But, yeah, I'm the one who is available,
08:24still available at the moment,
08:26and whatever he wants from me I'm ready to play.
08:30No matter if he puts me in position of full-back,
08:32central-back or wing-back, I'm ready.
08:38I can say that it's been quite difficult for the manager.
08:43Have you done anything different this season?
08:47It just seems you've been the only one who's fit every week.
08:52I haven't done anything different.
08:55I think that's just the way I am.
08:57I'm still young, they're a bit older,
09:00so I think that's the issue after all these years in England.
09:10We can talk maybe in two or three years,
09:12so we're going to see if I'm going to be fit or not.
09:14But hopefully I'm going to be fit.
09:21What do you know and what do you think about this Bruges team
09:24that you will face tomorrow?
09:26Do you think it could be somewhat difficult for you as defenders
09:30to defend against this team?
09:34I can tell you that they're a good team,
09:37and they're a good team with a reason.
09:39They're here in the Champions League,
09:41and it's not going to be easy.
09:43I faced them three years ago with Leipzig,
09:46and at that time they were really good.
09:50I know that they like to play with wide wingers,
09:54to let them play one-on-one.
09:56So I think it's going to be a good game.
09:59Obviously we need a point, we need to win,
10:02and we're going to do everything tomorrow to win the game.
10:07Do you expect a Bruges team coming to try to score a goal
10:12and put you in difficulties, or a more calm Bruges team?
10:16I cannot tell you that, I'm sorry.
10:20I think I've seen this season many times,
10:23that they come at Etihad and they try to defend for 90 minutes,
10:29which I think is difficult for us to get through this.
10:37I don't know, we will see tomorrow.
10:40OK, thank you, guys.
10:42Do I have to sub this?
10:46Aha, I left, OK.
10:48Thank you, guys.