Future of Nico Gonzalez and Barcelona’s impact on the City Football Academy – Every Word from part two of Pep Guardiola’s pre-Leyton Orient press conference | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has discussed a range of topics in part two of his pre-match press conference ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup fourth round contest.

Manchester City travel to the League One side hoping for an instant return to winning ways after a hugely damaging 5-1 defeat at the hands of Arsenal last weekend, as part of a crushing reflection as to the current status of the squad.

Despite getting themselves back into the game in the second-half via an Erling Haaland header, Arsenal hit back almost instantly with four goals throughout the remainder of the contest, before facing defeat themselves at the semi-final stage of the Carabao Cup.

Now, in a competition that Manchester City will view as one of their best chances at silverware this season, the club travel to Leyton Orient hoping to build upon a convincing third round victory over Salford City.

A James McAtee inspired performance coupled with a similarly as impressive showing from Jeremy Doku put their local neighbours to the ultimate sword as eight goals were shot beyond the League Two outfit without response.

Ahead of Manchester City’s trip to face Leyton Orient in the FA Cup fourth round this weekend, and after the release of part two of Pep Guardiola’s pre-match press conference, here is everything single word from the boss!

On Nico O’Reilly staying

“We had a lot of problems with injuries and still we have a lot of problems. So we are not able to loan or sell players right now. So that’s why we need Nico and all the players, (James) Macca, Divin (Mubama), and many players that we have, we need all of them because still there are a lot of games and we need them.”

On Kevin De Bruyne becoming Manchester City captain

“Everyone is everyone. Kevin is his own personality as a captain, we are pleased because the players chose him and he’s going to be deserved because he’s the oldest player here for many years and being a captain is an honour for all of us.”

On his relationship with Txiki Begiristain

“We trust each other, I would say. We understand the world of football, we don’t judge for what just the results are, we are happy and unhappy when we’re not doing good and he’s done an incredible job here.

“Unbelievable job for many, many years in many, many terms; bringing incredible players and how patient he is in all the tough situations. He made an incredible job as well this time.”

On Arsenal’s celebrations vs Manchester City

“No, come on. It’s a reaction, it’s forgotten. It’s happened, it’s Leyton Orient, and our games maybe we will find them in the Champions League this season otherwise it’s over. The chance we have faced, and next season we will try to beat them. This season we could not do it at home and away, and that’s all. It’s really, really not important.”

On added pressure on Nico Gonzalez being the Rodri replacement this season

“No, they can play alongside. Both have a good pace to go forward; Nico has played at Barcelona as a number 10 for example, arriving into the box, can play in that position, as a holding midfielder.

“So in terms of physicality, he’s quite tall, long balls, and his pace and especially a player who has come from the academy with players, his patterns, his body shape, and the quality and control in reading the game is really there.

“Of course he has to adapt to the Premier League, I don’t know how long it will take – some players need a little bit more, sometimes less. But yeah, really pleased that he’s here because especially for that, for the age, it’s a player for the next many, many years and Rodri, hopefully, next season will be back, but maybe after an ACL playing 60 or 70 games like he played last season is always a risk.

“And that’s why, with (Mateo) Kova as well, we have another player that can play in that position.”

On whether Nico Gonzalez is ready to have an impact in really tough coming games

“Yeah, I think he’s ready. But we will see in the next days, tomorrow, and we will see how is his training sessions. The first impact is good, yesterday and today, but of course I would not put pressure on his shoulders and to have to solve all the problems that we have. He’s just come to help us to be more of a stable team and to play better, that’s all.”

On the difficult of his team selection vs Leyton Orient

“Not much because we have still many injured players coming back, but still we are in a situation – much better than the past, obviously the reasons of the new signings, new four players otherwise we would be in the situation we’ve been in all year. Still we have players that are on the verge to come back, but still they are not ready. It’s not so complicated this time.”

On whether he could start Manchester City’s two new centre-backs and Nico Gonzalez vs Leyton Orient

“Yeah… We will see. I have an idea about the line-up, I have one or two doubts but it can happen. Maybe two at the same time is a little bit of a risk, playing at home maybe but away in this team that is really, really good, doing really well lately. But we will see tomorrow.”

On whether Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, and Jeremy Doku need to play vs Leyton Orient to play any minutes against Real Madrid

“Yeah it will be good but if they are not completely fit and take a risk, and they could get injured again. We have a lot of conversation with the doctors, the physios to see how we should handle the players and the danger they come from are easier to handle, other ones are more complicated. So we will see. We have 11 players to go through tomorrow.”

On the advantage of a player like Nico Gonzalez having been at Barcelona to come to Manchester City

“Barcelona’s academy is something extraordinary that I think this club made an incredible, incredible step closer to there, especially for the learning at early ages to talk about the fundamentals. In sport always it’s in terms of physicality, but as quick as possible when they’re at seven, eight, nine, 10 years-old to talk about body shape, control at which feet, the pass at the right foot for your mate and reading the situation that happens, they help you starting from early.

“And Nico was there when he was at the Barcelona academy and a generation – one of the best players – playing in a Barcelona team and maybe he was not there for many times because sometimes when you have the position that maybe (Sergio) Busquets is there, maybe Pedri is there, maybe top, top players are there and you don’t have that space.

“And sometimes young players when they arrive and nobody is there, it’s easier to do it. And that’s why maybe with Nico, but the quality is there and I think he made a step up, especially at Porto. I think (Sergio) Conceicao helped a lot to mature, to bring his game something that maybe he didn’t have, and especially playing regularly and playing like you have to win the Portuguese league, that you have to compete in Europe, because Porto every season players in Europe.

“And we’ve followed him for a long time and I think when he was in the Barcelona academy we tried to bring him here, it was not possible, and at the end the situation that we have, that we were looking for many, many times since a few months, since Rodri was injured, he came. And especially for that all the players are so young, so they’re for the next six, seven years, so that’s why it’s nice for the club.”

On whether Nico Gonzalez is needed more as a holding midfielder this season

“Right now, yeah. Right now I didn’t bring him to play in a position more up-front because we have much more players. Of course maybe one day he can play there but mainly the decision is to play in front of the central defenders.”

On the big spending in January as a preemptive strike due to the possibility of a transfer embargo if found guilty of the 115 charges

“I don’t agree! But my words will not convince when something is installed that we have just that attribute, being in a wealthy position. Just to let you know, in the last five years we are, in terms of net spend, the last one in the top-six. But in the last three years, we are the least in the top-six in net spend.

“Even after what we have spent this transfer window, we are away from Chelsea, from (Manchester) United, from Arsenal, from Tottenham, even from Liverpool for the only reason why that we sold a lot in the last seasons. But even with that I know in this club it’s always just about the money.

“It (the verdict) will be soon, I think in one month I think will be the verdict to do it. And the sentence, and after we will see my opinion about what happened so far. Still, at the end, every club can do whatever they want. Right? And if we can spend, it’s because we have the money. The money because in the last five years, three years…

“In the last 10 years we are third, but in the last five, in the last three, winning what we won, we are behind the top six teams. So I’m sorry for the comments, that’s why I don’t agree.”

On the percentage chance of Rodri playing in the Champions League this season

“The rule is we just can add three players, not four. Vitor (Reis), unfortunately, we could not do it, at the end because he’s the youngest one. But I would love to add in the Champions League all four (new signings) and at the end, for in terms of numbers, Rodri could be there.

“And I would love to arrive in the last stages of the Champions League and he could help us, but I will not one second of pressure. In my mind, next season is Rodri. In my mind he’s not here. But maybe he comes back earlier and that would be good for us.”

On his relationship with Nico Gonzalez’s father and Txiki Begiristain and the impact on a deal going through

“Well, I have a good relation but if the player is not good, it doesn’t matter the relation with his father, he would not be here. His father, maybe you don’t know it, was one of the best left-footers I’ve ever seen in my life, playing at Coruna all the time, Barcelona and Real Madrid pushing to bring him there but always he decided.

“And I was lucky to play with him in the national team one year or two years and he was an exceptional left-footed player. Top, top, top; one of the best I’ve ever seen! In Deportivo La Coruna that arrived in the semi-final of the Champions League, winning many, many titles and his son, maybe for genetics, is right-footed but in genetics brings something.

“He’s stronger, physicality, he’s taller maybe for the a lot of chicken that he ate in his early ages, but of course, at the end if he doesn’t want to come he would not come. If Porto don’t want to sell him he would not come. At the end we agreed, and we’re happy he’s here.”