- 4 minutes ago
Guardiola on premier league moving Newcastle game and squad fitness
20/02/2026 embargoed from 13.30
CFGA, Manchester, UK
20/02/2026 embargoed from 13.30
CFGA, Manchester, UK
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00:00Will you have made a decision on Rodri whether you will appeal against the charge?
00:04The club didn't inform me anything, so he's ready to play tomorrow, I don't have any idea of the info.
00:10So he's ready to play tomorrow, you say, as far as you know?
00:14The club didn't say to me he cannot play, so we wait.
00:18How have you seen his recent form? Do you feel like he's getting better?
00:22Yeah, by far. As much as he's not injured, in long weeks we work and training.
00:29And just one more Pep, Newcastle had a very long trip this week to Baku while you guys were sat
00:35with your feet up.
00:36Can that make a difference tomorrow or would that be?
00:39I have experience on that, on the opposite side.
00:42Only I can say it, big compliment for the Premier League to put the game to 8pm and not 3pm
00:49after this trip.
00:51You know, it was a long one, come back late and after one day you have to travel today,
00:57now can travel tomorrow is a big difference.
01:00So at the end the Premier League think about the Premier League team, what has been neat.
01:04Hopefully this experience can be provided for the future for all the teams in England and play in Europe
01:09and to have a proper rest, you know, to be ready.
01:13So at the same time, sometimes I'm not agreeing and completely, completely agree.
01:18I don't know what it's about sometimes, you know, say the broadcasters, that the say is not allowed.
01:24So at the end, I don't know who took the decision, to be honest, but big compliment.
01:30Hi Pep, you're obviously getting used to playing Newcastle.
01:33Last time out you played two wide forwards with Antoine and Omar from the start,
01:37but Erling came on to play as a slightly different role, I'd say, coming from the right and in.
01:43Do you think that's a role that you can play more often with a partner?
01:48We see when the wingers are back, still we have just one winger, one and a half,
01:54because we want three quarters because Savio is back.
01:56So, and maybe Erling will be playing more central positions.
02:02But when, of course, Savio is ready to play tomorrow from the beginning.
02:07So we decided that we are going to play in some details, but I think he had that perfectly, perfectly.
02:14Do you think Erling, after so long, might need occasionally a new challenge of a different role,
02:19something else to understand?
02:20No, the role is being close to the goal and score goals. This is the role.
02:24Are you moving right, left, a little shape, a little more open or more close?
02:28This depends on him, but I'm not telling Erling to play the left back, that's for sure.
02:40You mentioned about how 70% of the team are new in terms of can they win 12 games.
02:46I think you said earlier in the season, your captaincy group at the minute is really strong.
02:51What kind of role can they play?
02:53Because those captains are pretty much the ones with the most experience of being there and winning it.
02:56So what can they give to the new guys when it's this time of year, when it's April and you're
03:02going for all the trophies?
03:03Listen, my experience that we lived in the past against Liverpool, that we should win a lot of games.
03:07Never thought, like today, when asked me, 12 games left, I'm going to win 12 games.
03:12Never, ever thought that. It happened.
03:14Because we knew that the rival is so strong if you lose games, it will be so difficult.
03:20It's the same feeling I have with Arsenal drop points in the last, but they can win in a row
03:27a lot, a lot, a lot of games.
03:30That's why I'm thinking my focus is no change to me.
03:33Oh, what happened? Yeah, if we win the 12th game, we'll be champions.
03:36Yeah, it's good news. But who knows that?
03:39I cannot assure you, but they didn't assure you when it happened in the past against Jurgen to win.
03:44Both teams a lot of games.
03:45So now it's only in my mind, I saw the last game against Caravac in Champions League in Newcastle,
03:55and it was exceptional.
03:56It was 5-0 half-time, could be 9.
03:58The keeper of the opponent's side make a 3 or 4 in crowd save.
04:01And the rhythm and the pace and the intensity they are playing is that Newcastle,
04:05I remember when I started this project with Eddie Howe and all the people's support
04:11and qualify for the Champions League and this kind of stuff.
04:14So it's quite similar, the pace and the rhythm that they have.
04:17So only I'm concerned about Newcastle.
04:19And after again, day off and Leeds.
04:23And the people say, no, I'm going to tell me in the relegation battle,
04:26what happened Leeds, how easy it will be.
04:30It will not. I know that.
04:33The proof now in the Premier League this season, right?
04:36So every team can beat, can draw points to everyone.
04:39It happened to all the teams, all the teams.
04:41So that's why it's relaxed.
04:43Newcastle is only, I can think, the experience.
04:45Maybe it can help, but I don't know on the pitch,
04:48the new ones are going to react.
04:50And you mentioned before how it's good news that they've moved the game to eight
04:53to help with the travel back.
04:55What kind of a difference does it make if it's just five hours?
04:58You know, if it could have been three o'clock or twelve o'clock,
05:01but they made it late.
05:01Does it make that much difference?
05:03They can sleep at home tonight, recovery, stay at home, sleep there,
05:08and tomorrow take a plane and come here.
05:10And the opposite side, they have the training, come back here,
05:13sleep here, and the other one, the recovery.
05:15When it's, play a three-hour, you have four days.
05:18Always I ask to the, when asked me about UEFA, FIFA, the other one.
05:22So do the schedule, whatever you want, but give four days between games.
05:26Only 72 hours.
05:28Don't give just Saturday, Tuesday, or Sunday, Wednesday.
05:33You know, give proper, proper, you know, four days.
05:36And after that, the game will be better, less injuries,
05:39more sustainable for the clubs.
05:41The players will be happier.
05:43No injuries for four or five months.
05:45But I know it's so difficult to be possible.
05:50Hi, Pep.
05:51There are plenty of places we don't have access to, but there's one in particular
05:55that if you want to share some information on it, I'd love to know more.
06:00Apparently, the day before a game, you meet with your number two and number three.
06:03You go into a room, and then you start analyzing.
06:06And I don't know how long you take there, what happens there.
06:09And through your time at City, what the assistance that you had added in those conversations.
06:16How does it work?
06:16Do you speak and they listen?
06:18They speak and you listen.
06:19How does it work?
06:20Both.
06:21Back and forth.
06:22I gave my opinion.
06:23They gave my opinion.
06:24When I'm completely clear on everything, I talk less.
06:28So we're going to do this.
06:30But normally, I have a lot of games, some doubts.
06:33And I love to listen to what they think.
06:35It happened in all the systems that I have in Barcelona, Munich.
06:38And especially here in Manchester, I had a few different ones.
06:41Since Dome, with Mikel Rodo, Enzo, now with Pep, with Kolo.
06:47And I love to listen because it's always back and forth.
06:51So they inspire me and I learn a lot, a lot of all of them.
06:57And that of the ones that you had, the assistants that you had, which one was the bravest?
07:03I'm on that.
07:05No, no, no.
07:06All of them helped me a lot.
07:07No, to be honest.
07:08Everyone has his own personality.
07:10I want to change.
07:10But the Catalan guys I have in Barcelona and after Bayern Munich and after here,
07:16with Mikel at me a lot in the beginning.
07:19Especially what means the Premier League.
07:21He knew it perfectly.
07:22And of course, his knowledge is already proven in Arsenal and Enzo.
07:26Imagine the job he has done in Everton and Leicester in Everton.
07:30And Rodo goes in the Premier League.
07:32And Kolo in the Premier League.
07:34And Juanma, of course, is like a father for me.
07:37In terms of sentimental issues, he's the closest one.
07:42Because I knew it from a long, long time ago.
07:46So everyone has been so special.
07:48It helps the teams I've been.
07:49Not myself.
07:50The teams make the teams better and better.
07:52So today in the modern football, you cannot do it alone.
07:55Before maybe.
07:55But now, you need incredible staff, backroom staff to support you otherwise.
08:01Even with that, there are other problems in terms of injuries,
08:03in terms of good decisions, bad decisions.
08:05All the infos, the big data.
08:07And this kind of stuff.
08:08Even with that, we need to, especially emotionally.
08:11You know?
08:13The managers, all the managers can't agree with me.
08:16We are so lonely most of the times.
08:20You know?
08:20Even you have surrounded for a lot of players.
08:22You feel so lonely.
08:23You have people close to you.
08:25You can't rely on.
08:26You can't trust.
08:26In the bad moments, always a hack.
08:28And always the ability to make you convinced.
08:31Always there are positive things even in the defeats.
08:34This kind of people helps you a lot.
08:37Because you have a low moment.
08:39You know?
08:40You are, God, I'm not able to make a click.
08:44Or the team is not playing good.
08:46Or whatever.
08:47You know?
08:47Have people close to you, support you.
08:50And not all of them are able to do it.
08:51That's why I was so lucky.
08:53Because all of them I had with all different personalities.
08:56It helps me.
08:57It helps me a lot.
08:58Not just in terms of knowledge.
09:00In terms of being okay.
09:02Everything is going to be fine.
09:04You know?
09:04At the end.
09:05You know tomorrow, you know what's going to happen.
09:07But you go to the game.
09:08It's going to be fine.
09:09You know?
09:10You're going to find a way to beat them.
09:13That is the best approach that you can have.
09:15And when you have close people in that terms.
09:17Always it helps you.
09:19Last two of the inside.
09:20Hi Pep.
09:21You mentioned Rodri's getting back to close to his best.
09:24If not his best.
09:24It's 18 months since the injury.
09:26The first injury against Arsenal.
09:28Has it surprised you it's taken this long?
09:30What sort of challenges has he faced in those 18 months?
09:32Because that is a long time to kind of not be at your best.
09:35We came back.
09:35We came back to early.
09:38Yeah.
09:39Our desire to come back.
09:40Him especially back.
09:41We came back early.
09:42That's why it was longer.
09:43It's a good lesson.
09:45The human being has a process.
09:46You know the recovery.
09:47We say three or four days.
09:48The human being has a time of recovery.
09:50There are players that can recover earlier.
09:52Like Bernardo for example.
09:53Or Phil or whatever.
09:54And the other one needs more time.
09:56But the human being when you are injured.
09:57There is a time.
09:58Like you can do whatever you want.
10:00Go to the pool.
10:01Go to the hiking.
10:02Go to the whatever you want.
10:04Need the proper time to recover.
10:07But that's why it was 18 months now.
10:10But he came back earlier.
10:11You know in the World Cup.
10:13And the other one.
10:13But the step back.
10:14We wanted this half.
10:15And need a little bit more time.
10:17And still he is not his best.
10:19But every time he is moved.
10:20And he has his training for example.
10:23And he is playing many things.
10:26You know he is a special player.
10:28And I think he has 18 months left on his contract.
10:31I know you don't talk about contract negotiations.
10:33But he is only 29.
10:34Do you still see him being a cornerstone of this team?
10:38I would love.
10:39Desperately.
10:39I would love.
10:41Yeah.
10:42Yes.
10:43If we said.
10:44consequences.
10:44Rodri is Rodri.
10:45So we are so.
10:48A player who is as much age.
10:52He is more wise.
10:53More고 into the standal game.
10:55And.
10:55You know.
10:56There are players like Phil that holds the pitch.
10:59Not just the manager.
11:00His maestro.
11:00Oh.
11:01We are better.
11:02We feel better.
11:03And that is experience timing.
11:05Especially what I said many times.
11:07There are players that are defined in.
11:09the biggest stages in the
11:11difficulties and Roderick is one of them
11:13like Bernie, like Ruben
11:15like many of them
11:17like I had in the past, like Kevin
11:19like Gundos
11:21sorry, a lot of them
11:23don't name one player
11:25can be
11:27can feel bad
11:28you know, that define
11:30the biggest teams and the biggest clubs
11:32you cannot achieve what we achieve and you have
11:34huge personalities
11:36I've always said many times, when you have a season
11:39and Premier League, you don't win
11:415-0 every weekend
11:43no, this isn't fairytale
11:45this story is fine, but
11:46and other people, oh how good was Man City
11:49Man City was good, we won a lot of games
11:501-0, 0-1, playing rubbish
11:52playing not good, but
11:55personalities there, how he handled
11:57his moments, how he deal with that
11:59come for
12:00them, and that's why we had success
12:02Last one, Simon, thank you
12:04Just on that, it felt like Roderick and Bernardo
12:07together at Tottenham, at Liverpool
12:08and then with Ruben coming back
12:10has made a big difference
12:12how important is
12:14having as many players
12:15like that on the pitch
12:17going to be for
12:18the final two months of the season
12:21Yeah, it's important
12:22really, it must have been important
12:23so two players I've named
12:24have been here for nine years
12:26eight, nine years
12:26knows everything
12:27and
12:29yeah, always
12:30when I see proper midfield players
12:32they know exactly what they have to do
12:33dictate
12:34the tempos and many, many details
12:36and
12:37yeah, it's good
12:39And those two in particular
12:40kind of, I guess you don't have to
12:41tell anything to or as much to
12:43in the games
12:46with it being quite a new team
12:47Yeah, I have to tell less
12:49yeah
12:50especially because
12:51you know how thousand millions meetings
12:52and games we have played together
12:54been together
12:54and
12:54pretty much game
12:56post-match analysis
12:57analyze what they have done good
12:59no, but
13:00sometimes I feel
13:01when I make some meetings now
13:03they say
13:03oh Pep again
13:04you talk on the same subject
13:05but you have a lot of new players
13:07they have to know exactly
13:08what you have to do
13:08and
13:09of course there are details
13:10no
13:11so
13:11how many times
13:12Roderick Bernard
13:13play against
13:15against
13:17Eddie Howe, Newcastle
13:19they know exactly
13:20what
13:21they do
13:21of course
13:22now Gordon is a striker
13:23before it was
13:24winger
13:25we played
13:25and the strikers
13:27completely played
13:28with Gordon
13:28so
13:29for the quality of them
13:30of course
13:30you can do that details
13:31but they know exactly
13:32like Eddie Howe
13:33knows exactly
13:33what they're going to play
13:34so
13:34in that term
13:35it's not surprises
13:36it's been ready
13:38in terms of mood
13:39to try to
13:39to win the game
13:40thank you
13:42thank you
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