Cruyff did me a good turn with his wisdom
GUARDIOLA CHANNELS HIS MENTOR 8PM
IT CLEARLY does not come naturally to Pep Guardiola to abandon the control levers – especially in the most important game of his season.
But with an apparent acknowledgement of a tendency to overthink the latter stages of the Champions League, he insisted yesterday he would send his Manchester City side out in Paris with simple instructions.
The message? being yourselves.
If this marks a policy shift, it is understandable after four years of disappointment with City for Guardiola. Instead of
Just enjoy concentrating on an opposition whose front line is enough to give a manager sleepless nights, Guardiola is looking to channel the spirit of his mentor Johan Cruyff.
The Dutch master’s simple advice before Barcelona’s 1992 European Cup final win was simple. Guardiola, left, said: “It was the mythical sentence, just one minute before we go to Wembley to play in our first final that we won in 92 against Sampdoria. The first one was just to get out and enjoy it.”
City have lost three successive Champions League quarter-finals under Guardiola, who concluded the better side felt inhibited and lost.
He said: “We will try to impose our game. I learn in this competition that as much as you are close in the latter stages to who you are the more chance you have to go through.
“The opponents are so good, but If you have the ball all the time the balance of the team is already there. It is the only way.”
Whether Guardiola’s Cruyff-inspired zen state will survive two legs is anybody’s guess. With a seismic clash against Paris Saint-Germain in prospect fireworks are sure to fly.
He said: “I am not going to say the same sentence as Johan to my players. But I will tell them to enjoy the travel, the coffee you take in the terminal, the hotel tonight, our dinner together watching the other semi-final, the press conference and tomorrow the hotel, the walk, the training.
“All the process. It is not just the moment you are going to
play. We are privileged to be one of the best four teams in Europe this season and we must enjoy it. This is what I would like to see from everyone.
“If we lose, we are going to try again next season. Once you arrive in this stage you are nervous because you think of the consequences, not the joy of playing the game.
“You have to say you are good, but we are too so let’s go.”
This could be some week for City. Having wrapped up the
Carabao Cup with victory over Tottenham at its start on Sunday, they could end it with the Premier League title if they beat Crystal Palace on Saturday and Manchester United lose to Liverpool the following day.
Guardiola said: “We have two titles to fight for and on Wednesday we start a dream.
“I want us to be ourselves, the way we play, that’s my wish and dream and it’s happened.
“After that, the players with their quality will decide.”