The future of Jack Grealish and replacing Kevin De Bruyne – Every Word from Pep Guardiola’s Bournemouth preview press conference | OneFootball

Kevin De Bruyne will embark on his final ever match as a Manchester City player at the Etihad Stadium this week, with Bournemouth the visitors on Tuesday night.

While many within the club, including De Bruyne himself, will have been hoping for a much less stressful end to the season, Manchester City know that they simply must win against the Cherries to retain full control of their UEFA Champions League hopes for next season.

The clash with Bournemouth comes just days after City suffered a second consecutive FA Cup Final defeat, as a single goal from Eberechi Eze proved the different at Wembley Stadium on Saturday afternoon, winning Crystal Palace their first-ever major trophy.

It added further damage to an already difficult season in what has firmly become the worst campaign in Pep Guardiola’s career as Manchester City manager in terms of results, and just the second season that the club have gone without winning a major trophy.

The home clash with Bournemouth will be the penultimate game for the Etihad club this season, with Fulham away from home marking the end of the campaign as City travel to Craven Cottage on Sunday afternoon.

Following the release of the second-half of Pep Guardiola’s pre-match press conference, here is every single word from the Manchester City manager on the eve of what is set to be an emotional night for the football club!

On ensuring Manchester City’s players are not affected by the emotion around Kevin De Bruyne vs Bournemouth

“Maybe it can be a positive; the emotions and something special for all of them, they can do it. So it can be positive.”

On whether his relationship with Kevin De Bruyne has changed since the decision was made, and if he is happy with his performances since

“Yes, I’m happy with the way he’s playing, and the relationship is completely the same.”

On the difficulty of replacing Kevin De Bruyne

“There are players that is really, really, really difficult to replace. Really, really difficult, for many, many reasons. Yes, we know that. But the season we have done is the season we have done, and we cannot deny it. And of course, we have to move forward.”

On whether he has ever managed or played with anyone who can pass the ball like Kevin De Bruyne

“It’s difficult to find, he’s one of the best three I’ve ever seen, I’ve ever played [with], I’ve ever dealt with. (Who are the other two?) One is [Lionel] Messi, and the other two, let me think about it… OK, put Kevin second.”

On whether he has a favourite pass or assist from Kevin De Bruyne

“I said [Lionel] Messi is the best I’ve ever seen, because Messi has done it really, really close to the box, but Kevin is there. Just with the stats, the goals, the assists that he has provided to the team in the final third, the talent.

“Last game he made two or three passes again in front of the keeper – that is unique. That’s why he’s been one of the best players that this club has done in all of history. And it’s a big, big word, because he’s been a special player.”

On the suggestion that Jack Grealish must leave Manchester City for his own good, and whether it is something he will discuss with Grealish

“No, we didn’t talk, I didn’t talk with him. I’m saying these kind of things, even if people don’t believe; it belongs to the agents and the club, and Txiki [Begiristain] in this case, Hugo [Viana] as well – both sides. So what is going to happen, is going to happen. But of course he had minutes, he has to come back to play minutes, to start to play again, that’s for sure.”

On understanding that players want minutes

“But not Jack [Grealish]. So there is not one player in my locker room, and I think all the locker rooms around the world, that they are happy or they are not happy, or put bad faces, because they are playing or don’t play. I never see that.

“So of course they aren’t satisfied, but not just him. So satisfied; Macca [James McAtee], Rico [Lewis], Kova [Mateo Kovacic] no because he was a little bit injured and I don’t want to expose that. All the players are unhappy and they let you know that they are unhappy.

“So it’s happening in certain situations when the team is winning, winning. Okay, they have to figure out that everything happened, but they’re unhappy, they are here to play and they don’t play, they are unsatisfied. That is a normal position in all the clubs.”

On whether Manchester City will have a designated penalty taker in the last two games, and whether players will be expected to stick to that

“Listen, there was a period, I don’t know if it was in the first season, or in the second, or in the third, I don’t know, that we missed a lot, a lot of penalties. I remember the first game in Europe, Sergio [Aguero] was an unbelievable taker, he missed one or two penalties in one game or something like that.

“I never was involved, it’s the moment, what you feel in that moment, it’s the confidence, like everything, the body language, it’s everything, before you take a free kick, a corner, penalties, it’s how, ‘Okay, I’m going to deliver this action as best as possible’. This is the key.”

On whether these are the two of weeks where he tells players to show everyone/critics that they have still got it

“Of course you have two games here, you have two games still and after to have the World Cup, but here I don’t criticise the players in this country. (But from the outside the Manchester City players have had more criticism this season?) Yeah, because we don’t win. We don’t win.

“This is related to; do you know how much compliments we had when we won the treble and quadruple? Now it’s related when we don’t win. But you have to be used to it when you play at a high level. I said many times, you know, if I don’t want to get criticised, [move to] other business, be a journalist, or a pundit.

“You get criticism? No, never. No. (You’d be surprised!) *Laughs* You understand what I mean, you know? So go to another [business]. The players are the same. So, don’t want that, be a photographer.”

On whether it is a week where he leans on players who have experience of going through big games again and again

“Yeah, of course. Of course, of course. But sometimes look at Claudio Echeverri. Play good, right? Had three or four chances, every time he ran to the box was a dangerous situation. Why? He has no past. His mind is clean. He has not to defend anything, what he has done in the past.

“Maybe in two, three years it will be different. You know? When everyone arrives you are clean and after that you demand more, you know, status. You know? That’s why he played good. Because it’s positive for him, it’s a gift to be here and try to prove and he can play in the Premier League.

“Will be here or not, I don’t know. We’ll be here to help him. Yeah, we’ll try. We’ll try. This is the situation.”