00:04Please raise your hand if you'd like to ask a question.
00:06We'll take questions in English first, followed by any questions in Italian.
00:09We've got mics on either side of the room.
00:12So, Summer to start, please.
00:16Martin?
00:19Hi, Pep. It's only four months since you said goodbye to Kevin,
00:22and now he's coming back. Are you looking forward to seeing him?
00:26After the game, yeah.
00:30Of course, it's nice to kick him back.
00:33Have you sort of kept an eye on his start, the way he started in Italy?
00:37What have you made of it?
00:37No surprise.
00:39The players in that level adapt so quick.
00:44The players in that level, they don't need much time to adapt and perform well.
00:55Hi, Pep.
00:56Scott McTominay, MVP in Syria.
01:00How do you deal with him?
01:01And are you surprised at just how well he's done after leaving Manchester?
01:08No, he's had really, really good conditions.
01:11So, with a team like Wanda, the Serie A, so that means when that happens is because the manager and the players make an incredible job and when you win, every player always perform at his maximum level.
01:26And on Gigi Donnarumma, we saw just how important he can be in the Manchester derby. How good is it to have that Champions League winning experience as well in that back line that you'll have tomorrow?
01:42I would say in the last decade, always we had an incredible keeper.
01:45So, Ederson have made an incredible job and the other keepers that help us as well.
01:49And, you know, Gigi come from, you know, for his age, 26 years old, come from many years and, of course, he's a top-class keeper.
02:01Piper, usually when the Champions League starts, City are always mentioned as one of the favourites before a ball is kicked.
02:06Do you see yourself as one of the contenders this year?
02:08I know it's appreciated very early.
02:09Apparently, we are not.
02:11And just enjoy the moment, the journey.
02:15We are happy to be here.
02:17In the past, we have been and just won one.
02:20So, that is a lot for difficulty and it's just focusing tomorrow, the game we have to play, start with this competition.
02:31Like, apparently, they have more games than the past, the previous seasons.
02:35But, when you start with the bad results, always is more difficult.
02:40And, last season, we draw first game against Inter.
02:43Hopefully, this season, we can do better results.
02:46Hi, Pep.
02:47How much did last season's performance in the Champions League hurt you?
02:51And, are you putting priority on improving in the Premier League or the Champions League this season?
02:56Priority is the next game.
02:57All I have been in since I arrived here.
02:59Well, since I have been a manager in the second team for Barcelona, then there is no choose competition.
03:04The game is, this game, when in one week or ten days, we go to the Huddersfield, it will be the most important one.
03:10So, define this institution, this club, organisation, whatever you want to do,
03:14because we take seriously every single game.
03:16Did the new format last season show that there is little room for error here?
03:22The group stages always have been tough, but, yeah, you don't play like you can face your group all the time,
03:31you can control their opponents, home and away, you learn a lot.
03:35But, being in this format, you cannot control the other games,
03:39and the other groups can be better.
03:41When you are in your group, you can control more, so that's why it's more than a spectacle,
03:45you don't know what's going to happen, all you have to do,
03:47you have as much points as possible to qualify in the first eight,
03:51otherwise, come back in the first 24.
03:57Hi Pep, can I just ask about Erling, his performance on Sunday,
04:01he seemed to be everywhere, he was defending for you as well as scoring.
04:04Are you able to just talk about his leadership qualities and what you've seen over the last 18 months, I guess,
04:10in how he's sort of improved in that aspect of his game?
04:14The last question of time is normal when you arrive in the first season,
04:18so always expecting he came in a team like he was winning a lot, except the Champions League.
04:23He helped us to bring that incredible trophy for us,
04:26the competition that we played for 11, 12, 30 years in a row,
04:29like it's an honour to be here, like last season at the end we finished the last 50-20 games,
04:35being the best team in the Premier League and winning and qualifying,
04:38but always it's tough.
04:40And of course it's a question of mature at the time,
04:42he's a little bit older, even he's young,
04:46and of course he came, he's one of the kind of times,
04:49he came for many years, he signed a contract for many years to be here,
04:52and that's why in a natural way,
04:55but normally your figure in the locker room is winning on the pitch,
05:01and of course it happened in a natural way.
05:04Was the contract one of the reasons why you picked him for that group,
05:09because he's got that longevity and someone you might see take on the captaincy in future years?
05:14Yeah.
05:16Mike?
05:18With the extra games in the Champions League and Erling Haaland,
05:24the possibility of injuries down the line, do you have to protect him at all?
05:28When he's injured, hopefully not, he'll be injured.
05:30I'm not thinking a reserve player, because of course there are players that have more tendency,
05:35have to be careful, but in terms of Erling, as much as Fitt is going to play.
05:40And in general, would say the workload of the Club World Cup as well,
05:45does that impact the way you select teams this Champions League?
05:51No, one second.
05:52It's forgotten, and we make an incredible experience.
05:56We live really good.
05:57We create good things there.
05:59Unfortunately, we could not go through, went through, but not at all.
06:05So it's already done.
06:06Hi, Pep.
06:09I want to ask you about Napoli.
06:11Are you surprised by the way Antonio Contes transformed the team?
06:14And what do you think they can do in Europe this season?
06:16Of course, you can do as a top-class manager.
06:19So whatever I have been, he's a stamp.
06:23I will have been here with the clubs, with the teams.
06:25No surprise for me.
06:27And what do you think Kevin is giving to this team
06:31that they didn't have in the past season?
06:33His incredible talent, vision, pass, assist goals in the final third.
06:38He's unique.
06:40Jamie.
06:44Hi, Pep.
06:45Obviously, Rodri was injured for most of last season,
06:47unfortunately for you.
06:48How much better do you feel your team can be this season,
06:51you know, if he stays fit and plays as we all know he can play?
06:54James, as I said many times, Rodri was a massive, massive blow for us.
06:58Don't have him, but he was not the only one.
07:01He's the only reason we have been better last season.
07:04That there was not as much time goes on.
07:07I had the feeling that it was much, much better than the moment,
07:10the feeling.
07:11We just finished third in this league, in the Premier League,
07:13and FA Cup final performed the Woodwell play.
07:17The Champions League, I think, was even worse than the Premier League,
07:19I would say, at the moment.
07:21But in the moment that we played, the defined moment,
07:23in the Champions League is October, November, December.
07:27It was our worst period with many, many injuries.
07:29It was in one or two months or one or two months
07:32that we make a few, few points.
07:34It was a moment combined that you have 15, 16 injuries.
07:37When you have 15, 16 injuries, there is no team can sustain.
07:40So, Rodri was an incredible, massive, massive absence,
07:44but not just was the only, only reason why.
07:47And with regard to the centre, the midfield of your team,
07:51with Ryan Deers and Nico Gonzalez now,
07:53you feel, you know, you've got a good amount of depth there to sort of,
07:56I know you don't want any injuries, but if it was to happen to whoever,
07:59you can sort of deal with that better?
08:01Yeah, and Kovac is coming back soon.
08:03So, yeah.
08:04The team is, the squad is really good.
08:06It's just, now we have a problem already.
08:08We have just 16 players.
08:10We have, and what we need is to come back, you know,
08:13Ryan Nuri, Ryan Cherky, Joan.
08:15And when everybody's coming back, we'll have rotate,
08:19and the people in the bench make a good impact during the game.
08:23And when the fatigue is coming, you know, we'll come soon.
08:28And, of course, we need to make everybody involved.
08:31Take some questions in Italian, please, guys.
08:34Hi, Pep.
08:37I just wanted to ask, with Napoli and Antonio Conte,
08:42similar to yourself, he's won so many titles.
08:45I just wondered how much you respect him as a manager.
08:48I admire a lot of learning a lot.
08:51I respect him a lot.
08:52I respect him a lot.
08:55Salve, mister.
08:56Francesco Molaro per Telegri d'Italia.
08:59Lei conosce bene Conte, lo diceva anche al collega che le ha fatto prima la domanda,
09:03ma sono tre anni circa che non gioca alla Champions.
09:07Come se lo aspetta, arrabbiato, pronto, ad aggredire anche questo City?
09:12Onestamente non lo so.
09:14Lei lo conosce meglio di io.
09:21Sono Yannicelli di Canale 21, ben trovata mister in Champions League.
09:25Secondo lei, domani sera scendono in campo una delle grandi favorite ed un outsider,
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