Hi, Pep.
Can you hear me?
OK, hi there.
Um, Pep, you like intensity and you work with a lot of intensity.
But this week, with Chelsea, PSG and then Liverpool, can you just describe to
us just how intense this week has been for you and your and your players?
Perfectly.
Our level was so great.
Huge you would say, in these two games.
In spite of the result in in France, the performance was excellent.
Reviewing the game the same at Stamford Bridge
and hopefully we can continue
nine more months ahead of us.
Um, you finished 17 points above Liverpool last season.
They were never really in the race and I think many people are talking about
both yourselves and Chelsea being in the race for the title this season.
Do you believe that Liverpool are also in the race alongside you?
And United no?
And you believe united as well for four between the four.
But do you think Do you think you think?
Yeah, Okay.
Please.
So, Liverpool, since I arrived here in the first year maybe not but
since after the year that we won the 100 points, that they won the Champions
League, Liverpool always was there. Last season
they had the big problems for the many important injuries in the same position
otherwise would have been different.
But especially because we were excellent last season again.
So the last four years, both teams,
all the time we were there.
Thats why is the biggest compliments that I think both clubs, organisations can have.
That it doesn't matter whatever happen all the time.
We were there, up there and this is the most important thing.
Um, but Premier League we know
there are not just one, two,
there are many, many teams that can fight for the for the Premier League.
Hi, Pep!
And what is it like going head to head with Jurgen Klopp?
He's obviously a big character in the same way that you are.
He helped me. His teams, he helped me.
His team's help me to be a better manager.
He put me another level to think about it, to prove myself what I have to do to,
to be a better manager, to with our teams to try to better
and that is the reason why I am still in this business.
A part of try to win
the title is and there are some managers and Jurgen
is one of them that make a challenge to,
to try to do a step forward and uh and I did it.
We did it in Germany when we tried to face each other because
in Barcelona we could not face them or face him.
And here in England, like we are many years together, so many, many competitions.
So we face many times.
Sometimes we win.
Sometimes you lose.
And but I think every game was nice because both teams have the same idea.
So, go up there to try to score goals in different ways.
He absolutely quicker than us, but in the same way to try to try to win the Games.
Hi Pep, How are you?
Good, Thank you.
Um, at the moment one point separates the top
six in the in the Premier League table.
So do you think we're in for another title race, as when City won it with that
Aguero moment in literally the last seconds of the season?
And does it show the standard has risen considerably this year?
I started to see the the table after 10, 12 fixtures. After I start
to see the table now to be one point ahead, one point down.
No, it's not important.
These type of games to win a wins when you arrive in the finals, when you arrive
at knock-out stages, this is important. And the spirit is the way you play.
And, uh, the feeling you have as a team and these you have to continue.
We reach high-high level in the last weeks, especially
these last two games, of course.
But even before in some games, and this is what you have to continue.
Whats going to help you to be at the end in the
in the latter stages for all competitions in the last month with fighting
for the title is the way you play, not the results you get right now,
and of course, it's important.
To win in Anfield,
I cannot deny it.
But we know how difficult.
Yes.
Last year, for the first time since I don't know, many, many years we
were not able to do it, we know exactly remains so difficult.
But this is the challenge and how nice it is again.
Like it was in Stamford Bridge, in France
and now to live these kind of games.
Hi Pep, good afternoon.
Just sort of building on that.
I could be wrong, but I think I read in a book recently that you have a theory that you
can't be more than four points behind the leaders after eight games in a season.
I just wondered, how has last season and the way that last season started
change that perception for you
or do you still have that belief?
I never write a book.
No, I thought I read it in a book about you.
Sorry.
So you have to ask the guy who writes a book about me because I never thought
I never thought about this theory. I'm so sorry for the writer.
but that is the truth.
So when you are eight fixtures, four points behind when you have I don't
know how many millions points is still ahead of us to be played.
So come on.
So that is true.
The 1st ten games is important, to
don't go far far away from there, you know, for the top of the leader.
But anything can happen in one league.
We were,
the year when we lost, uh, we won the second Premier League in a row
Back-to-back.
We were seven points behind Liverpool.
Not now you know, maybe in January or February, something like that.
So and we won the league.
So now is the way we played.
And now tomorrow I'm not going to make a step back.
When same teammates are back about, we are thinking the way
you have to do, just improve what we have to do.
We can do a little bit better in some departments, but in general,
my right now the team is I feel more than happy, no more happy than ever for
the way we behave and the way we played in a. We play in the Stamford Bridge and in Paris
as a great team, as a real team, a great team and this is what I like.
Uh huh.
And we went to try not.
not this Sunday in Anfield,
You know, the last nine months, this is one of my job and try to do to the players.
Hi Pep,
Um, you've had 14 different goal scorers this season,
which seems remarkably high number.
Can you put your finger on why that is?
Can you explain why that is?
Because all we do it in that way or we are, we are not able to do it.
So we have to attack to the space, attack to the goal in the final third
much, much more with more and more people.
So
we don't have I said many times.
a striker, like, what is something?
Has this smell, special smell when the ball is around to the box
always is there to score a goal.
We don't have this type of player, so we have to need it through the game.
You have to do it with many, many people.
You're involving in everything responsible to score goals.
When it's going to happen.
We're going to score goals because always has been like this and
and the team has always create difficult to create chances.
We create a lot against against PSG and a team like it's so difficult.
Create one single chance like Chelsea we create enough to
score so, and this is what we try to continue to do.
Hi Pep, Raheem Sterling will be going away with England again next week.
He seems to be playing with a real confidence for for England at the
moment, but struggling to bring that back to Manchester City.
It's thre anything he...
Raheem, played really good as a striker last game against
PSG. He create incredible spaces for all of us.
He created one special clear chances.
Like Donnarumma was exceptional saving and another one with the left
and the moment he had that we needed in that specific game, space
or quality that started two-zero to pass two-zero to 100 movements.
Speed.
Zero to 100 he did it
Exceptional.
Hi Pep,
You mentioned earlier how difficult it is to win and field.
I think it was 18 years.
Um, it was obviously until last season.
That was obviously a factor.
There are no fans in the stadium and feel How much of a factor do you think that is?
Um, in terms of, you know, the motivation they could have given Liverpool
that day and maybe the intimidation that they can give to other teams.
Do you think that was?
That was a major factor.
And how different you think it will be with fans in again.
David, thank you so much to pull out the credit, our victory last season in Anfield
we we're so happy, you destroy my happiness right now because you don't
give credit what we have done last season, I will never forgive you.
Anyway, I'm very pleased that the Anfield is full again
and the people that again to play a football game.
So it's nice, they come back and and and and we can enjoy a fantastic
atmosphere there, and hopefully we can handle it
in a good way.
But does that show how how full Anfield can intimidate teams?
I mean, obviously, you know, it was a very rare situation
last year that there were no fans and you won 4-1.
Does that show how much of a motivation they can give Liverpool and how they
can really almost intimidate other teams or is that not a factor for you?
Listen, I'm pretty sure the players they enjoy more to play with
the fans in Anfield than without. Everything is more alive.
Everything is more difficult.
So, why we didn't win in Anfield I don't know the reason the last years, when 18 years
ago, I was not there. The last four or five years, every time was there is because in
an exceptional team and the crowd helps, of course, helped like in Paris the people,
how was supporting even we were dominating some parts of the game they were supporting
behind the teams, but that happened so with big stadiums have been in Germany when
I went to Dortmund, I went in Barcelona, when I went to Madrid, Atletico Madrid or
Valencia and always the crowd was there pushing a lot.
So basically it happened, it's difficult, not about for intimidation.
I would say I don't know, I was not football player and I would say for the quality
for the opponent. When sometimes you don't win it's because they are so good.
So we're going to try to do our game with the Spectators and without Spectators, but
yeah, last season
We won.
Hello, Pep.
Can I just check on the squad, please?
Any new fitness problems at all?
After Paris?
No.
Every everything is.
Everyone is fit.
Accepts Zinchenko
and, uh, Gundogan.
And on Zinchenko, when,
when can you expect him back?
Exspect both after international break.
Hopefully.
Okay.
You were saying there about Raheem playing so well
through the middle the other night in Paris.
He's played on the left for the past couple of years, and
in the 100 point season, he was more on the right.
Um, he can obviously play in a lot of different positions,
but not too much on the right recently.
Is that because his games changed?
Do you?
Does the team need different areas?
Is there something else?
No, he can play there.
But at the start this season, Gabriel there
in the position that they play really, really good for that game.
We need to.
Especially guys like with his one against one with Jack and Riyad could attract
more openings to the passage of players to create the spaces in other areas.
And we need more specific, but we need a guy who runs in behind for right to left.
Raheem is the best that we have in our squad.
It depends sometimes of the opponents of the way we won't attack or
the specific players that we need sometimes we need
aspecific quality for that.
But I would say Raheem can play, play good and right 100 points.
Play incredible on the left left with 98 [points]
and as a striker and always had the sense the movement always
created something for himself in front of the goal.
So, like Ferran, both are so good making movements in behind that
game, especially the way he trained in the last week.
So I consider I thought he was able to do with performance that he has done.
Hi, Ola Pep.
Um, you you have been talking always about how difficult is the Champions League?
Uh, even how tough is getting through, like the group stage.
And sometimes people might say that in the past you overreact with those comments.
Um, what do you think now when you see, uh, Real Madrid or
FC Barcelona with the with the result that they got.
Does it surprise you?
No,
the facts, always they they are not agrees was always miss-
misunderestimated with the team's does or do so.
That's why I am not surprised about cannot be agree with me.
But
I'm there from 12 years playing Champions League every season.
You know how evolve or how rise, or how grew up this competition,
and it's not a surprise that every game can be,
you know, can be dangerous.
So even for the higher teams, always these are difficult.
So oh, and it can happen so but when when
Normally
some teams win because, uh, because it's easier to try to underestimate your effort.
And that's why I said many times when you qualify for the Champions League next season,
you have to celebrate, and when you go to the last 16, you have to celebrate.
When you win in a group stages, you have to celebrate because I know
everything is so difficult today.
So difficult.
Hi Pep, you said before that you're happier than happier than you've ever been.
Um, what have What have you seen from the team that makes you
feel that way because it's quite a big, quite big statement giving
you broken so many records, won three league titles
By the way we played the last two games.
Make me so satisfied what you have done.
Of course, I am incredible happy when we won the Premier League, but in this type
of period, when Kevin De Bruyne is training just two weeks and Phil Foden just
two weeks and we have an important players injured and we come back incredible
late after how we overcome some situation even in that period, the level of the
consistent in the way we play the natural games is so good.
So that's why it makes me happy than never because I know how difficult.
But it's not part of comparing what we have done in the past.
The past what we live always will remain in our hearts and what we have done.
But you have to try to do it again and again and know exactly the team when where it
come from, Um like we have done last season that that always almost almost impossible
to do it better, so difficult, so still, we have many details, details.
We have seen that still, we are there after six years together.
So and that's why I made me so proud to my players and
always I said to them, I cannot words to express
in the sense of gratitude.
I would say the sense of compliment, the way we played these two games.
That's why just to continue to do it, this is the target,
Hi, Pep.
Just going back to Liverpool.
Of course, there's been some classic matches between City and Liverpool
in recent times, particularly in that 2018-2019 season.
How much do you feel that those matches have helped shape
the rivalry and competitiveness between the two clubs?
For our, for ours ,for Man City's it's an honour to
be a rival from Man City and from Liverpool.
I'm pretty sure decades ago they were not,
we were not arrival to them, but since many years we we try to compete
against this legendary club and and for us it is an honour,
hopefully for them to do so,
but for us, it's an honour to be arrivals because means we are they're competing against,
You know, one of the more historic teams in England alongside United.
So and that's that's nice for us,