Pep: Bumpy road may lie ahead before fans return
BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH v MANCHESTER CITY 8PM, BT SPORT 2
MANCHESTER City manager Pep Guardiola has sounded a note of caution around the return of supporters to sports venues.
The government’s road map for the easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions in England could see football fans return on a limited basis from May 17 at the earliest.
That would be just in time, potentially, for up to 10,000 supporters to see City lift
the title in their final match against Everton on May 23 – although the Premier League has yet to make a decision.
‘It will be good for the world of football, but everything changes a lot and it’s getting better, but it can get worse,’ Guardiola said ahead of tonight’s Champions League tie with Borussia Monchengladbach.
‘Hopefully the stadiums can be full again and people can come back. But still, I have the feeling we have a long way to go until this situation is finished.’
Tonight’s game is City’s first in the knockout stages since last summer’s last-eight defeat to Lyon, although Guardiola is not using that upset as motivation.
‘I’m not a big fan of saying that experiences in the past help you today – bad experiences or good experiences.
‘You have to be focused (for) 90 minutes, like we have to be focused in the Premier League. It’s nothing special or different.’
UNDER-fire Jose Mourinho has come out fighting in defence of his reign as Tottenham boss amid claims players are bored of his training methods.
Spurs are struggling with just 12 points from their last 12 Premier League matches amid a downturn in form that has seen them crash out of title contention and facing an uphill battle to make the top four.
Mourinho defended his management as ‘second to none’ following Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at West Ham but reports have since claimed some of his stars do not think they are being worked as hard in training as under his predecessor Mauricio Pochettino. Ahead of tonight’s Europa League last-32, second-leg tie at home to Wolfsberger, with his side leading 4-1, the Portuguese revealed he took the team to the training ground straight after the West Ham loss to analyse it, and denied training was unenjoyable.
‘I want to know which coach has always had blue sky and never cloudy or a bit dark. Perhaps only a coach who is always at a dominant club,’ he said. ‘It shows how beautiful my career has been. Does it make me depressed? No.
‘It hurts me and it’s a great challenge for me and I believe I can give it. I give it everywhere I’ve been and I’m more motivated than ever. I never felt what normally coaches felt when the results are bad, they are lonely men. I never felt that in this building. I feel not only respected but supported.
‘Nobody is happy but nobody is depressed. Maybe a bit weird for you after losing so many matches but I’m positive. I’m not happy but I wake up wanting to come here. Everybody is loving training and working hard.
‘Thank god I am not the manager I was. I would not be as calm and confident and in control of my emotions because during my career I had problems sometimes. I reacted previously in a much more emotional way, I was even creating a kind of conflict situation. Maturity helps.’
Mourinho insisted he retained the support of chairman Daniel Levy, saying: ‘My relationship is the same, one of respect and open communication.’