Guardiola on Grealish and Manchester City season review
25/05/2024 embargoed until 2230 hrs 26/05/2024
Wembley Stadium, London, UK
25/05/2024 embargoed until 2230 hrs 26/05/2024
Wembley Stadium, London, UK
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00 packing substitutions but no Jack Grealish.
00:03 We haven't seen much of him recently.
00:04 Have you lost a bit of faith in Jack recently?
00:07 No, he will be back.
00:08 Is there an issue with him at all at the moment,
00:12 with his form or his fitness or anything?
00:14 No, he struggled this season and Jeremy
00:19 had made an incredible step forward
00:21 and everyone has seen the last games
00:23 and that's why I give minutes to him.
00:25 But he will be back on the level he had last season.
00:29 I'm pretty sure.
00:30 Just to join behind you, please.
00:31 Pep, you made a big show of faith this season
00:35 in sort of the motivation,
00:37 how important it was to motivate the players
00:39 after everything they achieved last season.
00:42 Just how important is it to motivate again next season?
00:45 And these players, they always just grasp on that, don't they?
00:49 Do you still envisage them to be as hungry as ever
00:51 for next season to be more successful?
00:53 Next season is next season. It's far away now.
00:55 It's difficult for me to process,
00:56 even after winning in the Premier League.
00:59 So it's a question of calm, relax
01:01 and we'll be back as best as possible.
01:04 And I'm not thinking next season,
01:05 we'll have to do this or that.
01:06 So step by step and we'll see what happens.
01:10 The squad that we will have and start to walk and run.
01:15 And after we will see.
01:17 My point of view, the season has been amazing,
01:19 but the journey was really good.
01:20 We leave every week in, week out in a good mood and good vibes.
01:25 And the team has been extraordinary,
01:27 the way we played in the Champions League.
01:29 We didn't lose one game today.
01:32 It was not maybe the rhythm in the first half, but you know,
01:35 they play, you know, they struggle the season and we knew it.
01:38 So if you put them in the other position,
01:41 they will give everything today, you know, to perform as best as possible.
01:45 But in general, it was what we were,
01:49 especially in the second half, in certain minutes in the first.
01:52 And we had one more man behind that was not needed.
01:55 We need more men in front, in the pockets, in central positions.
01:59 And we struggled to find that.
02:01 And in the second half, we fixed it a little bit better.
02:04 It was better.
02:05 And we had the chances to equalise,
02:08 to reduce the margin with 0-2.
02:11 It would be early and maybe it would happen.
02:13 And after, you know, the tempo and some decisions,
02:17 you know, take influence in the game.
02:19 And unfortunately, it could not be.
02:22 I'm going to finish with Richard and then James, please.
02:23 Jaipep, your players stayed to watch Man United lift the trophy.
02:27 That's something that Ten Hag made his players do last year.
02:29 Did you ask them to do that?
02:31 Or is that...
02:32 Sorry, sorry.
02:33 They stayed to watch the players, United lift the trophy, your players?
02:36 Yeah. And?
02:37 And is that something that came from you or is that just from them?
02:40 Oh, we have done it.
02:42 I lost some finals or something like that.
02:45 Always you have to stay to take respect for the opening.
02:52 You know, always has to be like that.
02:54 But would it also help them kind of not want to be in that situation again?
02:56 Trying to drink it in.
02:57 We played to win.
03:00 It's not because we don't...
03:01 So they win, they deserve it.
03:04 Congratulations.
03:05 What can we say?
03:06 So I could say a few things, but it's what it is.
03:10 So it's not going to change next season.
03:13 Something like...
03:14 Because it's going to motivate it, because today United lift the trophy.
03:18 We really have to be in ourselves, improve ourselves and do better.
03:21 James?
03:23 Pep, you said after the West Ham game last weekend
03:26 that you'd got the message from Arsenal and you'd maybe need to do something this summer.
03:31 Do you expect City to be pretty busy in the transfer market this summer?
03:38 Right now, I don't know.
03:39 But do you as manager feel...
03:41 I mean, obviously you've got some players that have been a key part of this team
03:45 for a very long time, who aren't getting any younger.
03:48 The club has generally been very good at succession planning.
03:51 Right now, I don't know.
03:52 I don't know what's going to happen,
03:54 because I don't know the players now,
03:56 how they're going to take a decision,
03:56 whether they want to continue with us or want to leave or not.
03:58 The positions, some players come in, come out.
04:01 So right now, I don't know.
04:02 I'm really pleased with the team, how they behave all season.
04:05 I couldn't say differently.
04:07 So being here in the final FA Cup, it's nice.
04:10 Unfortunately, we lose it.
04:12 But after what we've done in the Premier League and the Champions League as well,
04:16 I don't see anything.
04:17 The people expect us to win every season, triples and doubles.
04:20 So I'm good, or we are good, but not good enough to do it.
04:25 But we tried.
04:27 We were there until the end,
04:28 in the quarterfinals and Champions League, but we were there more than this.
04:32 And we lose again, because in the finals,
04:36 you know, a lot of things happen in both.
04:41 You know, in moments, in momentum, in mistakes, decisions.
04:45 And sometimes it takes influence in the game.
04:49 Do you think some players have got decisions then to make this summer as well?
04:54 Right now, I don't know.
04:55 My sports director said that everything is fine, it's here,
04:58 but I don't know what is going to happen.
05:00 I don't know.
05:01 Thank you, guys.
05:02 OK, happy holidays.
05:03 Thank you.
05:04 Good luck.
05:05 Good summer.
05:06 Good summer, then.
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