Guardiola critical of Manchester City schedule ahead of Brentford

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Guardiola critical of Manchester City schedule ahead of Brentford   13/09/2024  CGA, Manchester, UK

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00:00Good afternoon guys, hope you're all staying positive, we'll take a show of hands, we've

00:12set an embargo part way through for 10.30 this evening.

00:16You've said before that you want the issues the club are facing to be dealt with as quickly

00:29as possible, it looks as though we believe the case starts on Monday, have you got a

00:36view and will you be glad when it's all over?

00:41Start soon, hopefully finish soon, independent panel will decide, looking forward to the

00:50decision.

00:52Can I just ask you another technical question, during the international break you were told

00:59you would have to play your League Cup game against Watford on a Tuesday night, two days

01:05after you play Arsenal, you've always been a manager that's taken the League Cup very

01:09seriously, what implications does that future schedule have on you and how you'll approach

01:16the competition?

01:17It's going to happen many cases, it's going to happen many, many times, this kind of situation

01:22for the teams to play in all competitions, so they give an alternative to play on Thursday

01:28away in London, to have more days, but I have a Saturday game in Newcastle and we prioritise

01:37of course to have more rest for Newcastle and we're going to play on Tuesday, because

01:43we cannot play on Wednesday, apparently it should be, because on Thursday play United

01:50Europa League and for the police it's not accepted, but it's going to happen many times,

01:55and when someone's going to create a new competition it will be even worse.

02:01Can I ask you about Nathan Ake and how he is after his injury?

02:04Injured.

02:06How severe is it?

02:07I think it will be until next international break.

02:10How much of a blow is that to lose Nathan for that period?

02:13We are unlucky with Nathan, we're a national team, every time he goes there he's come back

02:16injured.

02:19Can I ask you about Renford please as well, because they are the last team to win at the

02:24Etihad Stadium nearly two years ago, how have you been able to do that as a club?

02:30I don't remember against Thomas Frank's team, a person who I admire unbelievably, so I don't

02:36remember an easy game against Renford, never ever, since we were promoted in a Premier League

02:41and I don't remember.

02:43Always have been tough here and there, so we're an exception.

02:47They changed a bit the shape, I've had the feeling that play a little more the player

02:54style when it was in the Championship, when the motor process before when I've been told

02:59it was maybe more direct, they can do it, because they have fast players, strong players

03:04up front, but they have a really, really good process in the build-up, the high pressing

03:10is unbelievable, it's man to man, so aggressive, in attack and defence, so tight, so compact,

03:17really well organised in the transition set-pieces, it's a complete, complete team.

03:21I don't remember, we have played already many, many years and many times and always have

03:27been so difficult.

03:28I had the feeling tomorrow we're going to be an exception.

03:30And like I say, the unbeaten run as well, nearly two years now, Renford the last time

03:34to a point, what do you think has been the most important aspect of that run for you?

03:39How have you been able to do it as a team?

03:42So the last time we lost here was against Renford?

03:44Nearly two years ago.

03:45Oh, God.

03:49Sorry.

03:50Yeah, you should avoid it.

03:55That means how good we have done it.

03:56That means how good we have done it.

03:57It's more than two years, we didn't lose a game here, that's good.

04:03Good afternoon.

04:04Just to go back to the commission of starts, it's debating and everything next week.

04:09Can I just ask you, everybody in football seems to be keen to find out what's good about

04:15the eventual outcome.

04:16What about yourself and the players?

04:18I mean, it's their work that ultimately would be in danger.

04:23Is there a feeling amongst the players, can you give us anything about whether you or

04:28the players have talked about it?

04:30No.

04:31Or is concerned about it?

04:32I'm not a lawyer.

04:33There are many lawyers in this country, in Spain.

04:37There are many lawyers, but I wait.

04:41We are going to wait and we are going to see.

04:44Is it talked about in the dressing room?

04:46No.

04:48I'm sad, we are not lawyers.

04:50Erling is not a lawyer, no.

04:52So, we didn't talk about that.

04:53We are going to have an independent panel and we are going to set the sentence.

04:58What about everybody around the club, not just the players?

05:01I don't talk about them.

05:02I don't talk about them, about that.

05:06We'll see.

05:07I'm happy that it started on Monday and I know there will be more rumours and new specialists

05:13about the sentences that come up.

05:16We are going to see.

05:17I know what the people are looking for, I know what they are expecting, I know it.

05:21What I read for many, many years, but I'm sad.

05:27Everybody is innocent and the guilt is proven.

05:30So, we'll see.

05:32You mentioned Erling.

05:33Can I just ask you about whether he is likely to be featuring this weekend?

05:35There's been a lot of talk about him being offered the chance of compaction.

05:39Can you give us any information about whether he might feature this weekend?

05:44It was a tough moment for him and his family.

05:47It was sad, sad news.

05:50He's a close person.

05:51Him and his family, he's 59 years old.

05:54Our thoughts, of course, are with him and all his family.

05:58It's sad.

05:59We'll see tomorrow if he's able mentally and physically to play.

06:10Surely the logic behind the absurd fact that you have to play two games within 49 hours

06:17is that they think the game has to grow each season.

06:21People ask you of the more and more games, but surely there is a limit to that.

06:25What do you think that will be?

06:27Don't ask me that question.

06:31It's going to happen more and more.

06:33So, it's impossible to fix all the schedules and calendars and teams are home and away and everything.

06:39So, it's normal.

06:43It's normal to happen.

06:45People say, with the players and managers, in the morning they complain.

06:50It's not about the health.

06:52The doctors especially say the body has to recover at least four or five days.

06:57So, we did a three and out two.

07:01People say, yeah, but...

07:02No, we will do our job anyway.

07:06We will do our job anyway.

07:07With the salaries or less salaries, we will do our job because we love to do it.

07:10It doesn't matter.

07:12But, yeah, we play tonight in the Champions League against Arsenal on Sunday.

07:20It's not an easy game, I would say.

07:22And after two days later, we have to do it.

07:25And I prefer to play at home because the draw was like this.

07:28I'm going on Thursday to London.

07:29I prefer my fans, our people, to watch his team, a lovely team, an adorable team, at home.

07:34So, that's why I decided to play on Tuesday.

07:38Because on Thursday, after that, I have to recover.

07:40But after that, I have to recover to go to Newcastle.

07:54First, because I'm not a specialist about the calendars or the fixtures or the competitions.

07:58I'm not here to create the competitions or get rid of competitions in the schedules.

08:03It depends on them.

08:05You ask me, I answer.

08:06I said many times, we're not going to change.

08:08The meetings are useless.

08:10They decide to do it, we're going to do it.

08:12On Tuesday, we'll be there.

08:13Hopefully, we can select two teams and be fit and no injuries and don't make energy.

08:19But everybody knows the schedule will be tight this season.

08:21Accept it and go on.

08:23So, at the end, it will not be a problem.

08:26So, it's where it is.

08:33Yeah, they're good, they train.

08:34Really good.

08:37Al?

08:50There's a question for him.

08:51I wish him and, of course, USA, like I have friends there.

08:57The best of luck.

08:58I know he's a top-class manager, an experienced manager.

09:02And, you know, he decided to go.

09:05USA is fascinating to try to build a project for many years.

09:11Able to get the national team next step.

09:15Because the potential in USA is there for the amount of people and sports and so on.

09:21So, yeah.

09:23He decided because it's the best for him.

09:32Hopefully not.

09:35But, I don't know, we have 20 players available and can do it.

09:39I don't know.

09:40But, yeah, I don't want to make on Tuesday, try to play, you know, play the play against Arsenal and play there.

09:49I will try to avoid it.

09:50But, hopefully, we can be fit and no injuries.

09:53And the guys who didn't play in Arsenal are going to play against Watford.

09:55That's for sure.

10:02We've worked around the internationals as well.

10:04Do you see the benefit of the players that have had that rest?

10:07Erling Haaland, for instance, he looks a lot sharper this season as well.

10:11Is the schedule getting too much now?

10:13Yeah, the people who have rest.

10:14Because, you know, the rest for physically is there mentally.

10:16So, when you have a game, you have so much stress in here.

10:19The adrenaline and everything.

10:21You're playing with 65,000, 70,000 people.

10:24You want to perform well.

10:26You don't make a ridiculous performance and make your team down.

10:31And that's why sometimes it's not…

10:34You are tired.

10:35It's OK.

10:36Today I don't play.

10:37A little bit breathe, you know.

10:38Of course, for Erling, it's good.

10:39But, I said, it started really well.

10:41But, now, I said before, after the game against West Ham, the season starts this weekend.

10:47Before, it was like a pre-season still.

10:49We arrived late.

10:50It's one game a week.

10:51Coming to shield.

10:52One game a week.

10:53We have time to, you know, to training, to prepare things, remember things.

10:56So, now, the real season, the recovery is right now.

10:59And now, we'll see.

11:00We'll see how we behave.

11:02How the people recover.

11:03And their players recover really quicker than the other ones.

11:06So, yeah, we'll see.

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