PEP: IT’S TIME TO
Get in the fridge lads says City gaffer
PEP Guardiola feels his Manchester City players will need to cool off “in the fridge” after their exertions of the past few days.
City responded to last Wednesday’s draining penalty shootout loss to Real Madrid by digging in for a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Chelsea in their FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday.
The win, secured by a late goal from Bernardo Silva, maintained their hope of defending the domestic double but Guardiola later hit out at the scheduling of the fixture.
Rest
The City boss felt his players should have been allowed more rest after their European game and he now intends to give them a break before they return to Premier League action at Brighton tomorrow.
“In the fridge for two days,” said Guardiola when asked what his plans were for his squad ahead of the trip to the Amex Stadium. “Don’t see each other, stay at home with your families. Try to rest, nothing special.
“Two days to prepare for Brighton and (Nottingham) Forest. One game at a time.”
Guardiola clarified comments after the game suggesting he could boycott media duties over the issue.
The Spaniard insisted he meant to say he would not have time to go above and beyond the usual obligations.
“No, it’s Gary Lineker – come on!” he said, in reference to the host of Saturday’s BBC TV coverage.
“If they ask for a photoshoot for the broadcasters, I’ll say no I’m busy, I don’t have time. It’s a joke for the future.
“I always attend the media because I represent this institution. I’ve always done it and will always do it, but if they ask for extra then I don’t have time.
“If you put me in a game every three days then the managers have a lot to do.”
Guardiola also praised the character of Silva, who had been one of two City players to miss in the penalties in the defeat by Real. The Portuguese had also been close to being substituted shortly before scoring his 84th-minute winner.
He said: “Always life gives you a second chance and he took it.
“I was thinking of changing it and put Oscar (Bobb) on the right but, after the goal, Bernardo is so intelligent to keep the ball. So intuitive. In that moment I could not change him.
Return
“He was so tired but Bernardo has this special intelligence. I’m so happy, he deserves the best. They weren’t easy days for him.”
Bernardo admitted he had been through a range of emotions after bouncing back from his European penalty heartache with an FA Cup semi-final winner.
It came less than three days after he had badly fluffed his lines with a poor spot-kick as City were agonisingly knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid in a draining encounter on Wednesday.
Silva released a lot of emotion in a vigorous celebration after his 84thminute strike and he revealed that was culmination of a lot of factors.
He said: “After a very frustrating week for all of us it’s good to get back on the winning side and qualify for another final and another chance to win a trophy. “We’re happy. “Wednesday was a frustrating night for me. It was tough.
“First night, I didn’t sleep much. Second night, you sleep a bit better, the third night you sleep almost the whole night.
“It is what it is. It’s football, it’s our profession and we have to deal with those emotions.
“The way this team reacts is always really good. Once again we showed character and that no matter what happens, we stick together and go for it.”
Silva – one of two City players to miss in the shootout loss along with Mateo Kovacic – was embarrassed as he chipped tamely into the hands of Real goalkeeper Andriy Lunin from the spot.
He said that he had seen Lunin move early for the previous penalty, taken by Julian Alvarez, and felt
striking down the middle would be a good idea.
Silva said: “I was waiting, I wanted to be the second or the third penalty to see the reaction from the keeper in the first or the first two penalties.
“And he moved early, that’s why I thought the middle was good because in moments of pressure the keepers, 99 per cent of the time, they move. But he chose not to move and fair play to him, well done.”
Resolve
Silva denied a theory that the delay to his penalty, caused by the ball needing to be retrieved from the crowd, had affected him mentally.
He said: “For me, no. My decision was made. I was going shoot the penalty in the middle.”
City showed the resolve of champions to hang in and edge out Chelsea, who dominated the tie at Wembley.
The Londoners were left to rue wasting a host of chances, with misfiring striker Nicolas Jackson the prime culprit. They were also frustrated not to be awarded a penalty after a Cole Palmer freekick struck the arm of Jack Grealish. Most pundits agreed that it was a penalty.
Veteran defender Thiago Silva said: “I think it’s laughable. I don’t like to talk about the referees, especially after a defeat as it looks like an excuse, but I believe VAR could have sent the ref to the monitor.
“If he goes to the monitor and decides not to give a pen, I’m fine with it, but the referee should go and see it.”
Silva, 39, is out of contract at the end of the season and promised to reveal his future plans soon.
The Brazilian said: “You are going to know in the coming days.
“I don’t want to say anything now after a defeat, I’m sad about the result, but sooner or later the news will come out.
“I do have a decision made in my mind, but it’s not the moment to share it.”