- 2 days ago
Guardiola on Guehi and champions league qualification ahead of Bodo/Glimt
19/01/2026
uefa26
19/01/2026
uefa26
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00:00Hi everyone, same process as before, please, we've got the mic on either side of the room and we'll take a share of hands for questions.
00:11We'll take questions from English media first, followed by any questions from Norwegian media.
00:15Summit start, please.
00:19Good evening, Pep. May I just ask you about Mark Gahey? What exactly do you think he'll add to your team? Why do you like him as a player, please?
00:29I'm a top central defender, I've played national team, say on my personal name thanks to the club, you know, to bring him here.
00:41We've come from the perfect age for many years and can play right, left and him especially, you know, because I know how he was wanted to choose us and bring him back for the problems that we have in the back,
00:58in the next few months, so, yeah, it's really, really important, he's here.
01:03And what's part of the attraction, the fact that he plays for England, he's used to big games, he can handle Manchester City, what he needs to play for you?
01:11Well, I'm pretty sure, if you have a lot more contract in Crystal Palace, it would have been impossible, but the fact that he's six months, end of the contract, so,
01:20you know, the situation was easier in that terms, but of course, Crystal Palace and Man City have to be agreed and after the player decide to come,
01:31otherwise, even in that situation, it would not be possible.
01:38I'm just wondering kind of what the feelings are within the squad after the Derby game?
01:44The Derby game is the same feeling that we had after the game, they were better, and immediately thinking about this different competition,
01:52the chance that we have to finish in top eight tomorrow, coming here, so, we have time, I think we didn't talk one word about United,
02:02and we talked, I think we talked before Wolves, but now it's another competition, and, you know, last season we had seven points, we had 13,
02:13last season, in that moment, that game, we were in Paris, 0-2 in the 5-10 minutes in the second half, and after we lost for two,
02:20in that moment, PSG was out of the competition, and after they won unbelievably the Champions League deservedly,
02:28and today we have 13, and the chance that we qualify in the top eight, so, that I think it's enough, enough argument
02:35to be focused on tomorrow and know what happened in the past, so, of course, it's a lesson, so, I didn't review the game,
02:41but I know right now, even now watching the game against United, they were better, and when a team is better,
02:46it's just you have to congratulate them, improve, and move on.
02:50If you can finish in the top eight, it obviously means you don't have the two extra games in February,
02:55but is it also important just to kind of realise and remember that, you know, Man City are one of the most important
03:02teams in Europe, if you can get there?
03:04Listen, when you play a performance at United, it's like the feel, as a team, like we aren't ready,
03:10and when you play the many things we have done this season, you say we are ready,
03:14and every team, every game you play that we are ready, we can do it and everything,
03:18because what we have done in Newcastle, winning there, against that team,
03:24that means that we are ready.
03:26In three days, we are not.
03:28And this inconsistency, it's normal.
03:30The normal for the fact that we have, like last season, nine injuries in that moment,
03:35but today, eleven, absence.
03:37And when you have a lot, a lot of players that are not even one year here,
03:41you need a little bit of time, you know, to settle a lot of things.
03:46When we make seven or eight victories in a row or being in the position that we are in right now,
03:52in the Premier League, it's because we are able to have Mateus, Ruben, Josco and Nico,
03:58you know, playing games.
04:00That gives you a certain consistency.
04:02I'm a guy I love to rotate the team, but in the moment that you have a lot,
04:07you have a little bit since the back four, it helps.
04:10And when you have the situation that we have right now,
04:13that is normal that you have a little bit of this up and down in terms of that.
04:17As much as you accept it, the team grow up, and the team will happen.
04:23Because the first time I normally listen to a lot of things,
04:26and not even one year, Kuzsa is here, and Max Alain is three weeks,
04:30and there are a lot of things that need to be just a question of time.
04:35And apart of that, okay, so we accept who we are
04:39and try to tomorrow do it better than the last games.
04:42You're coming to train on the pitch tonight,
04:46how important is it that you get to know, get to sort of become accustomed to what it's going to be like tomorrow?
04:51Listen, there is one, two arguments of that.
04:53The first one is, of course, it's different, that's why we trained the night before,
04:59when never, never, since I am here in Manchester, never trained in the stadium before.
05:05But they have to see how the ball bounce, how short passes, long passes, this kind of stuff.
05:11And the second, always I thought about that.
05:14Life is never red carpet, life is not never...
05:18How quick you adapt and adjust the uncomfortable situations, you are closer to a success.
05:24So, if I start to cry for that situation and other ones happen,
05:30you don't achieve what we achieved in the past.
05:32Always we were incredibly positive, look ourselves in our mirrors and say what you have to do.
05:37I'm not denying that there are situations that you cannot control.
05:42Can we just talk quickly about Phil Foden as well? Did he hurt his hand on Saturday?
05:46Yeah. No, he had a little bit broken his bones.
05:50Yeah, but have a protection and it's fine for tomorrow.
05:57So, are you considering Saturday to be a little bit of an outlier?
06:02Because very often this season you've given the impression that you do feel that real progress is being made.
06:09Was Saturday a one-off almost because of the circumstances?
06:12On the Saturday during 94 minutes, 95 minutes and 10 seconds they were better.
06:19And it happened.
06:22Normally it happened in the past, not much for the circumstances I think I see,
06:26for the stability of the team for many years, it happened.
06:29I'm not going to deny the situation, but as I said before,
06:33tomorrow is another game, another competition and look forward.
06:37So, we don't have time to do it.
06:41So, it's so demanding.
06:42Yeah, it's so demanding.
06:43Carlos Alcaraz is maybe the number two in the world,
06:45one of the best players in all history, will be one of the players' stories.
06:48I read the interview two days ago before the Australian Open that said,
06:55you cannot imagine what was for me nine weeks at home,
06:58resting for the last season to prepare the new one.
07:01We don't have that.
07:03These football players that have in the past,
07:05they have two, three weeks,
07:0780-90% of the players will go to the World Cup in summer time.
07:11And after that, the club will demand,
07:13they come back, come back soon because we start the new season.
07:15And when the people is injured and mentally fatigued
07:18and the new things have to adjust,
07:20we have time to train, we have to prepare something.
07:22I knew Carlos Alcaraz changed a little bit the shape for the service, right?
07:26Now, it's changing something to getting better.
07:29We don't have time to do that.
07:31Max Zelenic and what was for.
07:33Come on, play and play as good as possible against Mbemo,
07:37against Bruno Fernandes,
07:39against all the best strikers in the world.
07:41So, that is a reality.
07:43And you face, okay, we have to adjust and adapt as quick as quick.
07:46And you have a bad game, yeah.
07:48It was not comfortable doing that in the derby, yeah, I know.
07:51So, congratulate and go forward.
07:55I know that you've only just arrived here in the Arctic Circle.
08:00So, I don't know whether you've got an idea of what you've landed into here.
08:04But just to think...
08:06Excuse me, my friend.
08:08I've been one year ago in Oslo in Lofoten.
08:11The Norway people know what it doesn't mean, right?
08:13And it's top.
08:15So, that's why I know the area perfectly.
08:18And the weather as well.
08:20For a football team to come from here and to achieve what they have,
08:26it's miraculous, isn't it?
08:27I was in the Flash interview, they told me five, six years ago,
08:31he's in second division, I think so.
08:32And now he's playing Champions League.
08:34But last season played semi-final Europa League.
08:37So, the same manager heads off and a huge respect, of course,
08:41and we have an opportunity and we respect them massively.
08:47We had a meeting before and I told them, guys,
08:49that is a really, really good team.
08:52Consistent for, you know, for the cold and especially for the pitch.
08:55So, we have to adapt as quick as possible
08:57and hopefully we can perform what we have to do.
09:01We'll take some questions from the Norwegian media.
09:04Here, please.
09:06So, good morning, good evening, Mr. Pep.
09:08I'm the Lucid Victor Mirov, champion at Asia from Uzbekistan.
09:11What do you think about Kusanoff's last performance?
09:13What's the impressions you had?
09:15And what he should do to become a full starter
09:18when all defenders will recover?
09:21Judge read the media.
09:24How praise Kusanoff the last games.
09:27So, they are right.
09:29We are wrong, the manager.
09:30So, I stopped.
09:31We can, we don't have complaints.
09:33So, the last game was exceptional in the previous one
09:38and we are really pleased, as I said, for the Rife.
09:41Especially stopped because after Arsenal game,
09:44it was a month without playing one minute.
09:47A long month.
09:48And you can imagine how he behaved in the training session,
09:50the locker room.
09:51That defined Kusanoff.
09:52Always that defined the players in the bad moments,
09:54how they behave as a team.
09:55And Kusa, I don't know, I'm pretty sure the education from mum and dad,
09:59for Uzbekistan or whatever.
10:01So, just was a few months in Paris, sorry, in France.
10:04And after I came here, immediately in Manchester City,
10:06in the Premier League, it's not easy this change.
10:09But he listened, he learned.
10:11And of course, his condition is exceptional.
10:13So, Man City will have a central defender for many, many years
10:17in a top, top level.
10:19What he will become?
10:20Let me be clear.
10:21It depends on him.
10:22Nothing else.
10:27You said earlier that Erling is a little bit tired.
10:29How is he feeling now?
10:30And what's your thoughts about you singing here?
10:32Three days after the derby, artificial grass, etc.
10:36He said to me he slept unbelievably.
10:39So, he's fit.
10:45Hi Pep.
10:46Hi.
10:47I'm going to ask you about the Norwegian playboy St. Erling.
10:50Can you elaborate on the condition of Oskar Bob
10:53and his future as a club regarding the transfer window open
10:56and with the welcome?
10:57I don't know.
10:58I have no idea.
10:59He says he's not fit.
11:01So, he's not fit.
11:03Do you see him being in the club until February?
11:06No, I have no idea.
11:08No idea.
11:12Erling Haaland has played a lot of games this season.
11:15Do you think he can continue to play as much as he has done lately?
11:20Depends on his mind.
11:23His mind and his fire will dictate it.
11:26As much as no ginger can play.
11:28Yeah.
11:29Depends on him.
11:33Good evening, Pep.
11:34I just wanted to go back to the fact that you said
11:37that you've never trained on the stadium the day before match.
11:41Is it just artificial turf or is there some other factor
11:44that makes you do the decision to actually train here today?
11:47No, normally when I start being in Champions League with Barcelona
11:51always we train the day before.
11:53But I realised that we lose one training session.
11:56The fatigue.
11:57For example, I remember Barcelona arrived to London.
11:59Airport.
12:00One hour to the hotel.
12:03Lunch.
12:04One hour to the stadium.
12:05One hour to come back.
12:06We cannot train nothing tactically.
12:08So, waste the time.
12:10And I decided I prefer training there.
12:12I arrive in this amount of games.
12:13Three days, three days, three days, three days.
12:15Not four days.
12:16Three days, three days, three days.
12:17So, it's better to do.
12:19But here, the only reason is artificial pitch.
12:22To see how they feel a little bit.
12:26Of course, tomorrow.
12:27Don't be surprised for the beginning.
12:29That is the only reason why.
12:30There is a way.
12:31Last question here.
12:33The Northern Lights, Aurora Borealis, are expected in Buda tonight.
12:38Good.
12:39Something quite special and rare and spectacular for many visitors.
12:42You said you've been to Lofoten.
12:44Lofoten, yeah.
12:45Have you seen it before, the Northern Lights?
12:46In Finland as well.
12:47In Finland as well?
12:48Yeah.
12:49Yeah.
12:50I love North Europe.
12:51You do, yeah?
12:52I love it.
12:53What do you think about it?
12:54And is it a place for a little bit?
12:55What I think, I'm not a scientist to analyze what is the reason why I appear in the sky,
13:00to be honest.
13:01No.
13:02Give me a few years.
13:04Don't underestimate me.
13:06My knowledge as a scientist, but right now, I just admire.
13:10Even if it's in a red glass of wine, it's even better.
13:13Yes.
13:14Do you have time to appreciate stuff like that?
13:16In a busy, demanding schedule as Champions League?
13:19Sorry?
13:20Do you have time to appreciate something like the Northern Lights?
13:24Of course.
13:25Why not?
13:26Is there something you're going to chase tonight, maybe?
13:28No, I will be in the hotel, have a big, big windows.
13:31We will take a look and we will enjoy it.
13:34Why not?
13:35I'm so focused on my job, but why should I not see the sky and see how beauty is the universe?
13:41Right?
13:42And it's like solar wind, like hitting some gas in the upper atmosphere.
13:47That's what it is.
13:48Oh, yeah?
13:49Yeah, yeah.
13:50You are a scientist, huh?
13:51They say so.
13:52You are the one.
13:53Good luck tomorrow.
13:55Thank you, everyone.
13:57Thank you, man.
13:58Time to share this video.
14:00What's up?
14:01That's the very good news.
14:02Thanks.
14:03You'll see.
14:04Alright.
14:05Bye.
14:09Bye.
14:10Bye.
14:11Bye.
14:13Bye.
14:14Bye.
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14:23Bye.
14:24Bye.
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