Pep: I want my team to show who they are!
‘THERE ARE TIMES WE WILL SUFFER, BUT WE ARE READY’
PEP Guardiola insists City are prepared and have the maturity to progress in their Champions League quarter-final with Lyon.
Having booked their place in the finale of the tournament in Lisbon by beating Real Madrid, the Blues flew out on Monday and have been training at the Portuguese national side’s base ahead of the biggest game of their season.
“I would like to tell you what happens tomorrow but all I honestly don’t know. All I can say is we are prepared,” Guardiola said as he revealed the mood in the City camp.
“I am incredibly proud of the team and I can say that the way they have behaved, especially in these last two or three weeks, has been incredibly focused.
“We accept the deal of trying to help the club to go to the semi-final.
“The format is what it is after the pandemic and the lockdown situation. We have had to adapt every day for the new protocols. We have eaten well, we have drank good wine at night - and we have worked a lot.
“We have looked at Lyon and tried to discover their secrets and when they were playing better we now is the time to be ourselves. scored.
“I want to see my team show who “I don’t expect that it will be one they are. side for 90 minutes (against Lyon).
“I want them to do everything There will be moments when we they always try to do from in their have to suffer. There are moments soul and in their minds. After that, we will control and there will be the football will dictate whether we moments when they attack and we deserve it or not. It’s as simple as have to defend. that.” “We have to be strong in our
Guardiola dismissed the idea City minds and try to do our plan. These are more mature this season game are about the mentality and compared to last year’s exit in the the spirit and I think the players are quarter-finals, but said his side are ready to do it.” ready for the challenge ahead And part of Guardiola’s against Lyon. reasoning is the ability to
He explained: “I find form a training camp in it difficult to understand Lisbon like an international sometimes. tournament, When we won which is different in Madrid we to previous years are mature and when clubs play when we home and away lost against until the final. Tottenham by “The facilities an inch last are good, the food year we were is good too,” he not mature. I have said. never understood “The Portugal FA that. and UEFA have allowed
“Of course, experience us to train in their facilities helps, but in Madrid we played a and they are good too. The tired first half. Then, when we distances are short, 20-25 minutes. played better, Madrid scored and Good weather.
I want my team to do everything they always try and do from their soul and their minds