Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola came out swinging ahead of three major tests for Manchester City in the Premier League and Champions League.
Pep Guardiola said: “We could have played other teams but the schedule is the schedule. They decided to have these games and we welcome it. We are the champions because we rarely complain about many stupid things. It is what it is – accept it, adapt and go for it. Not for a second have I thought about [the injury situation]. Never in these five years when we had important injuries, long injuries – Gundogan in the first season, Sergio in the last year, Ayme when he was in the best form as a central defender. Never. During the season, and especially in this brutal schedule, we’ll have situations that are uncomfortable to deal with but we have enough in the squad to go with it.”
Guardiola’s priority for the season is to be able to have everyone in the squad at his disposal as soon as possible, with fingers crossed yet again for the upcoming international break that the picture does not get any bleaker than it is when the players are released to their national teams. City’s manager is not shying away from the reality of the three important games they have next, but added that they would not have won everything they have done over the last four years if they could only fire themselves up for the big occasions.
Pep Guardiola said: “I don’t need to tell the players to enjoy it because I see how they prepare and are looking forward to playing these kind of games. They know which opponents we are going to play, in which stadiums. They know it, it’s not necessary to tell them. But I will say something: this commitment that people suggest that these players would have in these three games this week has been there since I arrived. That’s why we won four Carabao Cups, FA Cups, Premier League, every year doing better in the Champions League. It would not be possible [otherwise]. It’s not a team like ‘today I dress nice to this game, and the other games I don’t wear a suit or I wear sneakers. All the time they try to do it well in all competitions, no doubts about that.”
