Guardiola delight after City snatch late Villa win not strengthen UCL chances
22/04/2025
Etihad Stadium, Manchester, UK
22/04/2025
Etihad Stadium, Manchester, UK
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00Congratulations, how big was that win? Your reaction at the end suggested that it was a win?
00:06If we win the next four games have been so important, yes.
00:10Of course it's important, we don't have to be a scientist to realise that we play against Justin Villa,
00:17one of the best teams, we saw the games against Newcastle, we saw the games against PSG,
00:22the top form, the quality, the manager and everything.
00:26It's an extraordinary team, but we did perform like we were in the past, the commitment,
00:32we conceded not much and we didn't create much neither, but we controlled most of the games,
00:38the back four again have been amazing, all the players.
00:42In terms of qualification for the Champions League, for the points, of course it's important,
00:46but at the same time we have to be calm and focus in the semi-final,
00:54and after we have days to prepare for the finals.
00:58Two games at home, two away and game by game.
01:04Rob?
01:05Rob?
01:06Rob?
01:07Yeah, of course, he's a person that is incredible love, because when you talk with all of you,
01:24with the journalists and the media it's always so, so serious, but in the locker room and dressing room
01:29it's completely the opposite, it's always laughing, laughing.
01:32He's my guy, so yeah, he's playing in a natural position.
01:36And Nico, if you tell me in the beginning of the season we are going to play at the end of the season,
01:41to reach a final FA Cup or to fight to qualify the Champions League with Mateos and Nico,
01:48like a fullback, red fullback, red fullback, you tell me what they're talking about.
01:52But yeah, they perform well, have incredible pace, so a different type of player like Rico.
02:00Rico is in the smaller spaces, he's so clean in the way he plays, but Mateos, the physicality,
02:11when he has to run and has to sustain the good wingers, he is able to do it.
02:16And step by step he's playing better.
02:18Not for the goal that he scored, but of course it has been so important.
02:22Mike?
02:23Do you have a few moments as well?
02:26The thinking about going to the top field to one, something made and what you saw?
02:35Jeremy always gives you something, you know, for the crowd and we change the games.
02:40Of course he can play all.
02:42So in the first three or four actions, Diazzi and being held from Malen could not do the action,
02:49but at the end, always you have the…
02:52For me, Jeremy is the best player in the world in the first five meters.
02:57So in the top of five meters, it's unstoppable.
03:00He made the action and today make an incredible good cross and to score a goal you have to be there.
03:06And Gundo was there and Omar was there, Nico was there and Mateos was there.
03:09And at the end, we could score and win the game.
03:14You said earlier that everybody had a good performance.
03:17But it seemed like one of those where Bernardo was not really…
03:20What's this season been like for him?
03:27I don't… I don't forget Bernardo.
03:30What he has done for us this season, especially this season.
03:33I don't forget.
03:34Now we are here, didn't play much in the last minutes.
03:37But I don't forget November, December, January, February, Mars.
03:40Like we didn't win one single game.
03:42And I was there every single time.
03:44And running 30 kilometers every way and playing different positions and running.
03:49And it was a moment that was empty mentally.
03:52And after that, no win games, no win games.
03:54It was tired.
03:55It was empty.
03:56But Bernardo in the important games have an incredible, huge personality.
03:59He's a player for me at another level for many, many reasons.
04:06And today for the game, Kovac, Kovac today was brilliant as well.
04:10I think all the players.
04:11All the players were commitment.
04:13Maybe we missed a little bit the lack of quality.
04:19Of course, Kevin make an incredible assist with a control from Macca.
04:24Make a chipping.
04:25Unfortunately, we could not score.
04:26But we didn't create much.
04:28But it's not easy against PSG.
04:29Sorry, Aston Villa.
04:31It's not easy.
04:32Because they defend low block, five, six players in the back, you know.
04:36And it's not easy.
04:38So, question be patient.
04:39And today, Kovac and Bernardo helped us to read that.
04:44Yeah.
04:49No, it's not play the wingers.
04:59Because now, lately, I'm open with the fullbacks.
05:03That's the reason why.
05:04So, in the moment he will learn to play inside,
05:07because I think I have quality to do it, he will play inside.
05:10Always I've played since nine years with the wingers,
05:12high and high, one against one, one against one.
05:15But lately, for the reasons, because for stability,
05:18or for many reasons, because we need more control or whatever,
05:22we play with fullbacks wide.
05:24So, that's why he may be playing less.
05:26But not because he's playing bad.
05:28No, it's not about that.
05:29No, that's what I meant.
05:30You don't think he can beat the beat,
05:32but he starts playing with the back.
05:34Yeah.
05:36You think that's true?
05:38We'll learn.
05:39Yeah.
05:40In this game.
05:41In this game, generally?
05:42He has to improve, yeah.
05:44He improves a lot and he will improve.
05:46Yeah.
05:47Always I said that the moment he makes the action in one speed,
05:51in the moment that you're making,
05:52you have to reduce the speed.
05:54It's not about you cannot make one against one,
05:56in the moment that passes, you have to be relaxed.
05:58You have to see.
06:00Otherwise, cross to cross, if the cross is not good,
06:02we're not going to score a goal.
06:04But he's 23, 24 years old.
06:07So, he's so young.
06:08He has something unique.
06:09Unique in terms of speed.
06:12Yeah.
06:13I said before, Bournemouth game changed something,
06:34and now I realize that we were not miles away.
06:39And I said many times, all truff of the game was blue.
06:42But at least we were there.
06:44And before, we were not there.
06:46So, at minimum.
06:47Today we saw it, how he moved.
06:49Maka and everyone was aggressive in all the actions.
06:52And at least that, that level you have to compete.
06:54Always we have been like that.
06:56And we need, yeah, we need for the semifinal,
07:00because I'm incredibly impressed,
07:02Notre Dame and Forest,
07:03how Nuno is able to defend every single ball.
07:07The midfielders, the full-back, the central defenders,
07:09like it's the last ball of their lives.
07:11And how they defend that position,
07:14enjoying defending, that is an incredible attribute.
07:16This is talent.
07:19People believe that talent is...
07:21No, this is talent.
07:22And focus on the last four games.
07:24So, the importance we have in our hands,
07:26if we win the three or four games,
07:28we will be there.
07:29Oh.
07:30On the pitch.
07:44I never thought, I never thought,
07:46I never thought,
07:47I never thought could play there.
07:48But for injury from Manu,
07:50in the training session,
07:51I started to play the left-back.
07:52And I said, hmm.
07:53Okay.
07:54You know, play.
07:55And after,
07:56when he played the last minutes in Bournemouth
07:58or whatever,
07:59I said, yeah, I'm playing.
08:01I said, do they make another two or three assists
08:03and defensively have to handle with the incredible players?
08:07So, of course not his position,
08:09but he gave us an incredible alternative
08:13because in the left-back,
08:14we have just Jusko
08:16and that's all.
08:17Because Nathan had been injured, unfortunately.
08:19So,
08:20and his presence is, you know,
08:21and I had the feeling that game by game
08:23he's playing better.
08:25I had the feeling today he played better than Goodison Park.
08:28And that is a good sign for him, for us.
08:31Last one we're done, please, guys.
08:39The supporters?
08:52No, we won't.
08:57I am in the sight of the people.
09:00So, I'm a supporter for Manchester City as well.
09:03I don't have to pay the tickets,
09:05but I understand this with the feeling.
09:07I said in the previous ones,
09:09the clubs are alive when they have disagree
09:13or agree or whatever with the club,
09:15they can express and the club will listen
09:17to arrive in agreement.
09:19So, I'm not saying who I am
09:21to say that is right or wrong.
09:23So, every time, when I go to the theatre,
09:26I go to the cinema, I go to a concert,
09:28I pay the ticket and I want to, you know,
09:32I want to see something that I like.
09:33It's the same.
09:34So, of course, we want them yes or yes here
09:38and full of stadium every time.
09:40But the club is open, I'm pretty sure,
09:42because I know the club,
09:43that when they are in disagree,
09:45we're not that subject in any subject.
09:47That's why the club is always alive.
09:50Thank you, guys.
09:51Good night.
09:53Ph remade.
09:54Good night.
09:55My pleasure.
09:56My pleasure.
10:00Yes, sir,
10:01we're from one-level new.
10:03My pleasure.
10:04Anyway,
10:06for all years,
10:07we told you from the last set,
10:09we've written a few years ago.
10:10And so,
10:11we should find obliteracy.
10:13What if we don't normally do?