Embargoed Section: Pep Guardiola’s pre-Manchester United press conference part two | OneFootball

It’s time for part two of Pep Guardiola’s pre-Manchester United discussion with the media from Friday afternoon.

Manchester City will look to start a potentially history-defining seven-day period with their second FA Cup trophy of the Pep Guardiola era, as they challenge Erik ten Hag’s side in a much-anticipated Wembley meeting on Saturday afternoon.

City are fresh off the back of winning their third successive Premier League title in recent weeks, and have now refocussed their attentions towards claiming an FA Cup crown as well as a first-ever Champions League title.

A meeting with Serie A giants Inter at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul awaits in the Champions League final next weekend, following their trip to the capital to face Manchester United this Saturday.

City’s players have been granted the opportunity to rest in recent days and weeks, with many of the first-team squad attending Coldplay’s concert at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, as well as jetting off to holiday homes in Marbella.

In part two of Pep Guardiola’s pre-Manchester United press conference, the City boss offered a personal message to Manchester City supporters ahead of the next eight days, discussed the counter-attacking threat of this weekend’s opponents, as well as the goalkeeping dilemma and his decision for the upcoming two finals.

Here is every word from the embargoed section of Pep Guardiola’s pre-Manchester United press conference at the City Football Academy from Friday afternoon!

On the approach for finals at different stadiums/even support

“I think in a final, always there are moments that is not in just one direction, because the opponents are good, emotions are there. We’re going to try to play a game where we feel more comfortable, with the team, with the line-up we’re going to play, to be more comfortable. Sometimes we want to play in one way and we are not able to do it.

“In finals there are no second options; it’s a final. Especially I would like to see the team in uncomfortable moments, moments where maybe we don’t feel good, being unstable, and we say, ‘Ok we have time, keep going, no complaining much, and go to the next action, next action’. I think in finals you are more stronger in mentality issues is the team who is closer to win the finals.”

On whether the players have had the mental break that they needed

“They trained really good in these two training sessions, it’s all I can say. There’s a good mood everywhere, in the locker room, on the pitch. I don’t have to tell them what we are playing for; it’s the final of the FA Cup against United and the chance to add another title to the season. This is the mentality that we have right now.”

On what he thinks City can change from beating United to beating Inter

“Every team plays in a different shape; defensively, offensively, especially the quality of the players. Every team is completely different. Even sometimes with the same team, with the same manager, one week for the other one, they change two or three players, the team is completely different. Analyse the team, expecting a little bit the line-up, but we will know it tomorrow exactly, and try to impose our game to do what we have to do.”

On whether he could completely switch off during the two-day period off from work

“No, because I didn’t know Inter much. I spent a little bit of time – one, one day and a half – watching as much games as possible, and after review the games we play against them (Manchester United), our build-up, our pressing, and especially what they do right now in the last three, four, five games United play, just to know it. When you play the finals… I’m pretty sure the players as well, the players go maybe a day off, but they are thinking of the finals. In 10 days they will be on holidays, and there is the moment everyone has to disconnect.”

On the importance of seeing Elton John and Coldplay

“When you have this in this city, these two events – first the legend, or one of the legends, Sir Elton John. I had the opportunity to go to see him. And of course, the players at Coldplay; a fantastic show with everything. You have to use it. It’s good, come on. At the end you can be at home watching some movies, or you can be at a concert enjoying the good, talented musicians.”

On shutting out United’s counter-attacks

“Listen, since I played against United a long, long time ago when Sir Alex Ferguson was the manager, the biggest threat of United every time I play against them – when (Jose) Mourinho was there, and the next manager was there – always was the counter in transitions. I think it’s in his DNA, it’s really, really good. But I think now they, with Erik (ten Hag), they add some patterns of movements, everyone is more in the positions, but the threat in behind is always there. They attack quick.

“But at the same time they are able to, when you defend deep to have the quality to play in short spaces. They add many, many things, but always have been like that. I’m not surprised. But of course, we have to control it, we knew it when we played home and away. But the way we played in Manchester, we played – I reviewed it yesterday – a really, really good game considering the opponent, even losing the game.”

On whether Jack Grealish and Ruben Dias are match fit for the game

“I’m not concerned at all. These players, they care for their body perfectly, mentally, and if they are fit and they feel good, they will be ready.”

On the team-talk for United

“I don’t know. Yesterday I spoke about what we have to do in some departments, maybe we will see another issue that we talked in training. I don’t prepare much about teamtalks. Tomorrow it depends on how I feel. I don’t know, maybe I’ll say something, maybe I don’t say anything. I don’t know.”

On whether there was any consideration to play Ederson vs United

“No. We’ll play Stefan (Ortega) tomorrow. In the Cup he played really good. We gave him the last games to give him a little bit of rhythm because Eddy has it already, and he is going to play the final of the Champions League.”

On what are the positive aspects of having another final in a week

“Winning helps to win. Completely different competitions, the games are completely the opposite, the opponents is completely different. But it’s like in the Premier League; when you are on a run of winning games, it helps to win another one, and another one, it helps. It’s the same as that.

“But just try to isolate everything, that’s what I said to the players, isolate everything. Try to follow and stick to what we believe, and focus on what you have to do to beat them. Knowing them tactically, and of course, the finals are uncomfortable games. The opponents are more aggressive, we have to do it too, we have to make the game uncomfortable for them, and this is what we have to do.”

On whether it can have any negative implications

“Absolutely not. We didn’t speak once about Inter in these days. We have Sunday off, and after we sit together for three, four days to train, and introduce what we believe Inter are to try to beat them. But we have time. Saturday to Saturday for us is a holiday, a long time to prepare for one game. United in the FA Cup deserves our full attention and full commitment, and I think the players are completely aware of that.”

On how City have managed to make the two finals by comfortable scorelines

“Quite similar. At the end, when you arrive in four semi-finals of the FA Cup in the last five years, we have done it really well. But sometimes we play, I remember I said many times, the semi-finals of the FA Cup on the Saturday when we played on a Wednesday in the Champions League quarter-finals away, the travel, the trip, against teams like Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, strong teams, and they were better.

“So I’m not saying Sheffield United, all respect please because they are newly-promoted and welcome to the Premier League, but of course it was different and we spoke about that. ‘Guys, four years already in the semi-finals, we have to make that next step’. You want to play in the final of the FA Cup, it’s an incredible event, 3PM in London, full stadium, so we have to take it. And the semi-finals, I know my opinion, last season was tight, and this season in the game with Madrid was tight, and here we were better.

“It could’ve happened last season being in the final, and this season when Madrid scored the second goal maybe in the first 10/15 minutes of the second-half there, maybe we were not able to come back. That’s why in this, like I said, finals it’s completely different. It’s how, in the bad moments like it happened for example in Madrid, come on, stay stable, with our momentum always we will get it because always we are able to create good, good moments during the games.

“And it’s going to happen tomorrow and I’m pretty sure against Inter Milan. But I said yesterday to the players, we are not going to expect that we are going to win after 20 or 30 minutes the game will be over. This is not going to happen. You have to stick to the plan, or the plan of what they have to do, or what they do, adjust something, and go for it.”

On whether United are more dangerous with the chance to deny City a treble

“I didn’t speak with Bruno Fernandes and company to know exactly the reason why their emotions, or the reason why they are going to play the final. I don’t know. I could understand it. I could understand that belongs to them, it’s normal, sport is like that, the records will be broken and that belongs to us, I don’t want anyone else to do it. It’s normal. That feeling is completely understandable. But it’s a football game, and whoever will be better will win.”

On whether he understands how big the next week could be for City fans

“Yeah definitely. But I think they’ve had fun in these years, and had fun this season. I will ask to our fans to behave properly, first. And secondly, to go there to enjoy an incredible event like they know these players are going to give everything to beat Man United. And the consequences of the result, who knows? I don’t know it, not even Erik ten Hag knows it. It’s going to be a football game, and enjoy the moment.

“Tonight, when the people travel, and tomorrow – unfortunately with still strikes on the trains – and enjoy, and enjoy next week the same to prepare for the final, to dream to see the team. It’s the best way. You have to understand it’s a football game, that everything can happen, and we’re going to do everything. Everything like we have done in these years to win against United, that’s for sure.

“But I understand completely for the City fans, like you say were in the shadow for decades, behind United, playing the first time in our history an FA Cup final against them, for them as well the first time. Try do to the best game as possible. I would say, ‘Have fun, and enjoy the right portions of beers before the game, and that’s all, enjoy it’.”