Every Word: Pep Guardiola’s pre-Champions League final press conference

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has addressed the media for the penultimate time this season, in the first of two press conferences this week.

In a busy week of training and travelling for the Premier League and FA Cup champions, media duties are taking place both in Manchester and in Istanbul, as Pep Guardiola took on the first of two addresses with global press at the City Football Academy on Tuesday afternoon.

City will look to close out another hugely successful campaign in historic fashion, as a Champions League final meeting with Serie A giants Inter presents the club with an opportunity to win a treble of silverware this season.

Manchester City come into the contest in Turkey off the back of a memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester United at Wembley Stadium on Saturday afternoon – the first meeting between the two clubs at that stage of the competition.

A goal from club captain and end-of-season goalscoring specialist Ilkay Gundogan got Manchester City underway after just 12 seconds, with the German scoring a second volleyed strike in the second-half to regain the side’s lead following Bruno Fernandes’ equaliser.

While the FA Cup has been a competition that Manchester City have not enjoyed as much success in as others in recent times, the Champions League remains a competition that has totally evaded them since the takeover from Abu Dhabi over two decades ago.

Many believe this will be Manchester City’s best shot at winning Europe’s premier club competition, however Inter will have plenty of reasons to be motivated themselves, as they look to take the club back to former glories.

The fitness of Kyle Walker, support from the rest of England this weekend, and learning from 2021’s final were among the talking points raised during Pep Guardiola’s address to the media on Tuesday afternoon.

Here is every word from the boss at the City Football Academy!

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On Ange Postecoglou becoming the new Tottenham manager

“Absolutely [it’s a good addition to the Premier League]. Another exceptional manager is coming. I was lucky to meet him in Tokyo years ago when he was the manager of Yokohama, one of the clubs in the City Football Group. It was an interesting chat. At Celtic he did an incredible job.”

On whether people want Manchester City to win the Champions League

“I don’t know; some people want, some people don’t. Some clubs are friends. I’m sure they want it, others don’t, but that’s normal. It’s about what you have to do to beat Inter and after the consequences, we’ll see.

“I said many times, you have to win Europe to stay at another level. It’s as simple as that.”

On managing the excitement in the Manchester City camp

“It’s been good. (In) Two days we will travel to Istanbul. It’s a dream. Two years ago we were there but it’s a different circumstance, due to COVID. It’s about what you have to do in 95 minutes to be better than the opponent. In one single game, you have to be better.” 

On the fitness of Kyle Walker

“He had a disturbance in his back. Yesterday, he was not good. Today, he was a little bit better. We didn’t want to take a risk and we will see in the next days.”

On motivation and differences from defeat in the 2021 Champions League final

“I don’t know. I can’t speak for the players, some were there some weren’t. It’s a different situation. Two years ago isn’t long and of course we want to finish differently, but we have to know exactly what we have to do. In terms of approach, what to do with and without the ball. It’s about what you do in 90 minutes, we accept what the people say, no problem at all.” 

“In that time we played the final, we had an incredible season in the league. It’s not a massive difference (to this season). I have the opinion that if you get to the final and you’re lucky, you can win it. The important thing is to be there.

“One week ago we won the FA Cup, last time (we were in the Champions League final) we had lost twice to Chelsea and we had doubts coming against Thomas Tuchel’s side. Chelsea had incredibly good patterns to play and punish us.” 

On being relaxed ahead of Champions League final

“I’m more than calm, I’m so grateful for what the players have done, but finals are so different. What we do in the next days is understand the game we have to play. It will be a game of a lot of difficulties. It’s not easy to attack the defensive system they use. We have to have a lot of rhythm and patience. The right tempo is the most important thing in these types of games, the more the game you go through anxious becomes a problem.

“They are used to dominating the games in Italy and they have a lot of good patterns so we have to defend really well. It’s a final against a top team and we have to do it. We are confident, optimistic but I can not deny the qualities of the opponent.”

On whether Manchester City have the support of the rest of England

“I don’t know… If United want us to win the Champions League final. Of course, we represent this country, our fans when they travel represent our club, the UK, but I don’t think all fans want us to win. That’s football, the rivalry. I think the people that like us for sure but the others it doesn’t matter. It’s not an important issue.

On leaving out Rodri in the 2021 Champions League final

“It was a game plan like it will be on Saturday and if I tell you the reason why I made the decision, maybe you think I’m right. If I win, I’m right, if we lose I’m wrong. In this business, you have to accept it. It was a tight game and in many ways we were better but we lost. Would I do differently now? Maybe yes but that doesn’t count.”

On Elton John

“We saw him (after landing at Manchester Airport on Saturday night), I was with him at the concert in the midweek. He was incredibly kind to my family and myself. Whatever you do in your life, to be there for 50 years people listening to your songs is incredible.”