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Aguero won’t start Manchester derby despite comeback goal – Guardiola
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero scored 10 minutes into his return from injury on Wednesday, but Pep Guardiola has ruled him out of starting Saturday’s Manchester derby.
The Argentinian missed the beginning of the season after having knee surgery in the summer and suffered a further setback with a hamstring injury shortly after his comeback.
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After stepping up his training with the first team, Aguero was a 67th-minute substitute against Marseille and prodded home City’s second from close range in their 3-0 win to close out the Champions League group stage.
“His instinct to score will always be there,” Guardiola said after the game. “He had three or four training sessions, his reaction was good. He played 25 minutes and scored a goal but it’s step-by-step.
“The most important thing is his reaction tomorrow.”
But asked if Aguero has any chance of starting the match against Manchester United at Old Trafford, Guardiola emphatically replied: “No.”
Aguero has now scored 41 Champions League goals to move level with PSG’s Neymar as the second-top South American goalscorer in the competition behind Barcelona’s Lionel Messi on 118.
Summer signing Ferran Torres started the match as City’s No.9 and despite being a winger, the Spaniard is setting his own records as a goalscorer.
The 20-year-old scored the opener to take his tally to five goals from City’s six group games, after also netting in his last European game before leaving Valencia.
Real Madrid legend Raul is the only Spaniard to have scored more Champions League goals before turning 21.
Torres’ form gives Guardiola a number of options ahead of the trip to Old Trafford, where the pressure will be on United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after his side’s disastrous Champions League exit.
“I’m really happy for the way we played in all the games without exception,” Guardiola added of the Champions League. “We scored goals and we conceded few.
“Now it’s time to celebrate and tomorrow I am going to think about the Premier League and the derby. We have two days to think about it.”
December 10, 2020
Guardiola happy to forget about Champions League while European giants struggle
Pep Guardiola said no team can take qualification for the Champions League knockout stages for granted after Manchester City secured a seeded place for the last-16.
City’s 0-0 draw at Porto means his side will top Group C with a game to spare after reaching the knockout draw for an eighth successive season, but with European giants Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Inter and last year’s semi-finalists RB Leipzig all facing an early exit, Guardiola says qualification is not as easy as people expect.
“This year especially in the Champions League it was tricky because if you lose or draw you have to go to the last game and there is always risk with the COVID situation,” he said.
“I know it’s a disaster if we were not able to do it. Nowadays, [people think it is] so easy but we know in the other groups, some important incredible teams are finding it difficult to qualify.
“We know how important the groups are and how difficult it is to qualify so this competition is really difficult – if you sleep for one or two games everything is going to be complicated. Today is a day to be to be happy and now it’s time to forget until February the Champions League and focus on the Premier League.”
City have one final group game against Marseille next Wednesday, which comes just three days before the Manchester Derby.
With nothing riding on the fixture, it gives Guardiola the opportunity to rest players for the trip to Old Trafford, but with close to a full squad fully fit, he says he will pick a strong side to beat the Ligue 1 side, who won their first game in 13 attempts against Olympiacos on Tuesday.
“All the players deserve to play,” he said. “We’re going to make a selection, it depends if they’re tired, it depends on their behaviour on the pitch, in training sessions, in the locker room, in many situations. We will see.
“It is not just to prepare absolutely for United and Old Trafford, because against Marseille we’re going to play to win. This is the way big teams create the mentality. It doesn’t matter what competition you play, you have to try to do it and we did really well all game.”
City have kept four clean sheets in their last four Champions League and were unfortunate not to win in Portugal with Gabriel Jesus having a goal ruled out by VAR and Raheem Sterling, Ruben Dias and Eric Garcia all going close.
Goals have been City’s biggest problem this season, but despite another blank, the City boss was happy with how his side performed.
“We played exceptionally well,” Guardiola added. “Unfortunately we could not score but we came here to finish first. We are happy, I guess Porto (who also qualified) are as well.
“We played with huge personality, courage to go there and keep the ball. I know it is not easy. They played with eight players in the box, they were so strong, the full-backs are so strong but we were patient and we attacked and we created enough chances to win. This is the most important thing.”
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December 2, 2020
Guardiola gives hope to Stones after Man City star makes an impressive return
Pep Guardiola says John Stones will get every opportunity at Manchester City if he continues to impress after the defender bounced back to top form.
The City boss brought in new centre-backs Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake at a cost of £102 million ($132m) in the summer to sort out the defensive problems that impacted their last campaign.
With Aymeric Laporte already at the club, Stones appeared to face an uncertain future after falling behind wantaway defender Eric Garcia and midfielder Fernandinho in the pecking order at the end of last season.
But the England international has impressed when starting City’s last two matches against Olympiacos and Burnley, which they won without conceding.
Stones also had problems with injuries last season but Guardiola said the new arrivals do not mean he cannot compete for a regular starting place.
“He played two already,” Guardiola said. “The previous season it was difficult to feel it – sometimes for my decisions but most of the time because of injuries.
“It’s good again because he was so concentrated and didn’t make any mistakes. What we are looking for from the back four is to not make mistakes.”
Asked about Stones’ reaction to extra competition, the City boss added: “It’s not too complicated to understand. I see the performance and the levels, and the guys that help the team and help me have more chance to play.
“The other ones have to wait for the opportunity and they have to fight and wait for their moment and, when they have the moment, do it as well as possible.
“This business it works in this way, not any other way. What happened one week ago or today for example is past. Now you have to do it in the game in Portugal.”
City travel to Portugal on Tuesday to face Porto aiming to secure top spot in their Champions League group having already qualified for the knockout stages.
Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker were left behind for last week’s win over Olympiacos but came straight back into the side that beat Burnley 5-0 on Saturday.
But Guardiola warned his players that they will be in for a surprise if they think being left out means they will be straight back into the team after a break.
“It’s not about rest,” he said. “I saw Kevin a little bit exhausted mentally that’s true. Right now I see the players who are in a better condition or more focused.
“If these players believe they are rested because I am rotating, they are making a big mistake.
“I put in every game the best players for many reasons. Sometimes the health of the team or not being injured, But especially the players who perform well.
“The youngest player that we have, Phil Foden, gets the same treatment and opportunities as Fernandinho, our most experienced player.
“It doesn’t matter if you won more titles in the past or scored a lot of goals, you have to show it on the pitch. In the recent past, in the present and especially in the future.”
November 30, 2020
Man City must be careful in managing injury-hit Aguero – Guardiola
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has warned that his side must be careful as they look to work Sergio Aguero back into the team.
City have made their worst start to a Premier League season for more than a decade following Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Tottenham.
Club-record goalscorer Aguero was an unused substitute at Spurs after missing the last month with a hamstring injury.
Guardiola’s side sit 13th in the Premier League table and the City boss, who this week signed a two-year contract extension to keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2023, says his side need to start winning games quickly.
Aguro could be key to any turnaround, as City have scored just 10 goals from their opening eight Premier League fixtures and just five from their last six matches.
The Argentinian has made just three appearances in the last five months after suffering a knee injury in June and Guardiola says they must carefully manage his return.
“I’m not going to say we don’t need Sergio, we need him,” Guardiola said. “But Sergio is 32 and was five months injured with a difficult and dangerous injury.
“He came back, he played 50 minutes and 55 and got injured again. We want and I want Sergio fit because I know how important he is for us and what he has done in the Premier League.
“But we have to be careful, to not get knocked back again and injured again and you have to see the right moment to put him back in the side. Hopefully it can be soon and maintain the regularity to play games.”
Though City could potentially use some tweaks after a poor start, Guardiola has said it is impossible for managers to work on tactics because of the hectic schedule.
With at least two games a week between now and the new year, the 49-year-old says there’s no time to work on changes in training.
“It’s impossible,” he said. “But it’s the same for all clubs so I’m not saying we’re at an advantage or a disadvantage. But it’s impossible, there’s no time.”
Guardiola insisted it was his responsibility, rather than the players, to solve their issues with City taking just 12 points from their opening eight matches, winning just three and losing twice.
“I never said it was the responsibility of the players, it’s my responsibility as a manager to lift them and to give them everything that’s possible,” he said.
“Never in my career of 12 years have I complained or pointed at someone that everything is going to solve. I love having Sergio back, I love having Gabriel [Jesus] back, but they are not going to solve all the situations.
“We scored in two seasons, more than 100 goals and 80 or 90 per cent of the players are the same, especially up front.
“Maybe we lost Leroy [Sane] but Leroy didn’t play much last season because he was injured all season and we still scored 100 goals.
“We are the same but football is like this. Sometimes one season is completely different to another one. We will find a little bit the way to get better.”
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November 23, 2020
Former Barcelona & Chelsea star Fabregas ‘disappointed’ in Guardiola
Former Barcelona and Chelsea star Cesc Fabregas has expressed “disappointment” in his old mentor Pep Guardiola, while revealing he still considers Jose Mourinho a “friend” to this day.
Guardiola lured Fabregas to Camp Nou from Arsenal back in 2011, having seen him emerge as one of the best midfielders in Europe at Emirates Stadium.
Barca went on to win four major trophies during the Spaniard’s first full season at the club, but ultimately missed out on La Liga and Champions League honours.
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Guardiola decided to call time on his four-year reign in Catalunya at the end of the campaign, and took a 12-month sabbatical before returning to management at Bayern Munich.
Fabregas says he hasn’t spoken to the 49-year-old, who is now in charge at Manchester City, since his departure from Camp Nou, and has hinted that the pair’s relationship has been damaged beyond repair.
Asked if he’s been in contact with Guardiola at all over the past eight years, the Monaco playmaker told CCMA: “No, no, with Pep nothing at all.
“I don’t know if the disappointment with Pep is mutual. Things happened, but I prefer not to talk about it. Pep was my idol since I was a child. It is from him that I have learned the most, perhaps, since I was four until now.”
Fabregas eventually left Barca to join Chelsea in 2014, and went on to pick up his first Premier League title under Mourinho.
The 33-year-old has credited a man currently occupying the hot seat at Tottenham for helping him to rediscover his best form at Stamford Bridge, having previously seen him as a rival during his time at Arsenal and Barca.
“Mourinho inspired me the most when I left Barca,” Fabregas added.
“He told me that we had had our issues on the pitch when he was at Chelsea and I was at Arsenal and then when he was coaching at Real Madrid and I was at Barcelona, but that for him, it all ended there. We turned the page.
“He told me about his project. I had to go where I thought I would do best, the decision was mine and it didn’t depend on what people said. I prioritised the professional [aspect], and today I still write to him and I consider him a friend.
“He helped me a lot at a difficult time in my career and perhaps I played one of my best seasons with him.”
Fabregas brought the curtain down on a hugely successful five-year spell at Chelsea when he signed for Monaco last year, and will be back in action when the French outfit play host to reigning Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain on Friday.
November 18, 2020
‘It’s tough, really tough’ – Harder than ever for Man City to claim maiden Champions League title, insists Guardiola
Pep Guardiola has claimed this season’s Champions League will be more difficult than ever for Manchester City to win.
City are in their 10th consecutive season in the competition and have never got further than a semi-final appearance in 2015-16 when Manuel Pellegrini was in charge.
Guardiola, who twice won the Champions League as Barcelona head coach, was appointed City manager with a remit to bring European silverware to the club.
Under the Catalan they have consistently reached the knockout phase but have never progressed beyond the quarter-final stage, and ahead of their Group C clash with Olympiacos on Tuesday, Guardiola acknowledged the quest to become European champions seems to become more of a challenge with each passing season.
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“It’s tough, really tough. There’s many examples to prove what I’m saying,” Guardiola told a media conference on Monday. “There are more games with managers better prepared, more games where they know what they have to do. Teams are better.
“There is more money everywhere not just a few clubs, a lot of clubs have the possibility to spend and buy players, and there are important managers.
“It’s difficult. Last season, Atalanta, look what happened, semi-finals of the Champions League, and the Italian league was incredible. Shakhtar Donetsk, look what happened and now in Real Madrid and a draw against Inter. It ridiculous, this didn’t exist before. It doesn’t matter where you go.
“It’s hard to qualify [for the knockout stage], every time we qualify I say to players ‘congratulations, enjoy that moment’ but it’s the first success of the season, to qualify for the next round.”
Guardiola won his two previous Champions League matches against Olympiacos, emerging victorious 3-0 away and 4-0 at home as Bayern Munich manager in the 2015-16 season.
His City side are unbeaten in their last 13 games in the group stage of the competition, winning five of the six games at the Etihad Stadium.
November 2, 2020
Guardiola takes final decision on leaving for Barcelona
Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has insisted his time at Barcelona is “over”.
Guardiola stated this on Saturday, after a 1-0 win at Sheffield United in the Premier League.
The Spaniard was responding to speculations linking him with a return to the Nou Camp, where he coached the first team from 2008 to 2012.
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One of the candidates to replace Josep Bartomeu as Barcelona president, Victor Font, revealed his hopes of bringing Guardiola back to the club if he is successful in the upcoming presidential election.
“I said many times: my period as a manager in Barcelona is over,” Guardiola told BT Sport.
“I think in life there is once, in a lifetime you have to do the things. There are incredible people who can be in charge.
“Now, for example, Ronald Koeman is an excellent manager. It’s over.

“I will come back to my seats to see my club to watch the game. But it’s done.
“I am here, incredibly happy, and still have the desire to do well. This is the most important thing.
“Now there will be elections in Barcelona, hopefully, they can choose the right person to the right board, to maintain this incredible club at the highest level.”
November 1, 2020
Guardiola confident Manchester City will find consistency
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is confident his team will find the consistency they need, after their 3-0 victory at Olympique de Marseille in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.
Manchester City took control of Group C with six points from two games, leading FC Porto and Olympiakos by three points while OM are bottom of the table after two defeats.
Guardiola’s side got off to a slugglish start in the English Premier League (EPL), sitting in 13th place with eight points from five games, five behind leaders Everton.
The leaders have played one more match.
“We have to accept the criticism. We play every three days, when you win it’s good. But, if you don’t, people want to destroy everything.
“But it’s about the chairman and everyone else understanding (the situation),” said Guardiola.
“Part of the criticism was right, but you’ve got to accept it.
“It’s part of our job. It’s about where we’ve come from in the last month, with lack of preparation, injuries and COVID-19. But the Champions League is in a good place now.
“I’m sure we’re going to find that consistency.”
While Marseille proved to be an easy target on Tuesday, Manchester City were lively throughout.
They made their domination count and defended well when the hosts briefly threatened after the break.
“We played really well, we didn’t concede much and we were in control, patient and aggressive without the ball.
“I’m so satisfied with the performance and result, it’s always difficult to win away,” said Guardiola, who hinted that Manchester City liked playing against teams fielding a five-man defence.
“We can play on both sides, we tried to play high and wide to stretch the pitch. Raheem Sterling was exceptional, Phil (Foden) as well,” he said.
“We didn’t expect them to play five at the back until we saw the team. FC Porto was the same. As much as we play against five at the back we started to take the control and rhythm.
“We were so stable defensively. I’m so satisfied with the way we played.
October 28, 2020
Messi may join Guardiola at Manchester City
Manchester City are monitoring Lionel Messi’s public fall-out with Barcelona should he exercise a clause in his contract and leave Camp Nou this summer.
Messi’s long-term future at his boyhood club was thrown into doubt earlier this week when the Barça captain publicly called out sporting director Eric Abidal.
Abidal criticised the Barça players’ work rate under former head coach Ernesto Valverde, who was sacked and replaced by Quique Setien last month.
Messi played alongside Abidal between 2007 and 2013 but took exception to his comments, accusing him of “dirtying” the players and asking him to “give names”.
Messi’s Barcelona contract, which is set to expire next summer, contains a clause that allows for him to leave for free at the end of this season if he wishes.
Independent UK says reports in Spain on Thursday night suggested Messi and Abidal had settled their differences after clear-the-air talks with club president Josep Maria Bartomeu.
Any Messi exit remains unlikely, as his many potential suitors would accept, and the 32-year-old has repeatedly said he wishes to end his career at Barcelona.
But Messi is yet to extend his stay beyond 2021, having last renewed in 2017, and expressed his disappointment last summer when the club failed to re-sign his former team-mate and friend Neymar.
In the event that Messi did leave Camp Nou this summer, City would expect to lead the race to sign a player who Pep Guardiola has consistently hailed as the greatest of all time.
Messi retains strong links with his former manager Guardiola, but also City director of football Txiki Begiristain and chief executive Ferran Soriano from their time at Barcelona.
Guardiola has always insisted that he would not attempt to prise Messi away from Camp Nou, claiming last season: ”I said a thousand times I want him to stay at Barcelona.”
The existence of a break clause in Messi’s contract was confirmed by Bartomeu in September. “Messi signed until 2021. It was agreed that at the end of the penultimate season he is at liberty to leave for free,” he told Barça TV.
“He has earned that freedom to decide his future, but he is very Cule and I am calm. Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta and [Carles] Puyol had the same clause.
“We couldn’t give Messi a different clause, but I repeat, I am in no doubt he will stay for many years.”
February 6, 2020
De Bruyne says 15 minutes of planning led to Manchester City’s win over Manchester United
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola needed only 15 minutes in training to get the tactical changes which led to Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Manchester United, playmaker Kevin De Bruyne said.
The 3-1 win was in the League Cup semi-finals on Tuesday.
Guardiola opted to play without a recognised striker at Old Trafford.
He thus gave De Bruyne and fellow midfielder Bernardo Silva licence to push forward centrally, and the move worked perfectly as Manchester City scored three times before half-time.
“We did 15 minutes on it (tactics) in the morning. That’s about it,” De Bruyne told the British media on the plan to play with a
`false nine’ in the first leg.
“We didn’t train that but it’s not like we never did it before —– we did it sometimes against teams that prefer to play man-against-man; Cardiff City, Manchester United, in Barcelona away we did it the first year with Pep… we’ve done it a couple of times.”
In spite of Silva’s unfamiliarity in the position, he scored the opening goal in the 17th minute before Riyad Mahrez doubled the lead and Manchester United’s Andreas Pereira scored an own goal.
Manchester United pulled one back in the 70th minute through striker Marcus Rashford to give themselves a chance in the tie.
“With Bernardo dropping (back) it’s four against three in midfield, so they have to choose what they do,” De Bruyne said.
“If they put their defender up there’s more space behind and if not Bernardo’s going to be free. That’s what we tried to do. I think overall we played well.
“The second half they tried to put a bit more pressure on us and we made one mistake and they scored from it.”
Manchester City, who succumbed to Manchester United’s counter-attacking might in a 2-1 English Premier League loss at the Etihad Stadium in December, host their neighbours in the second leg of the semi-final on Jan. 29.(Reuters/NAN)
January 9, 2020