Champions League qualification risk and a vicious injury cycle – Part Two of Pep Guardiola’s Everton preview | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has once again discussed a wide range of subjects ahead of Manchester City’s Boxing Day clash with Everton this week.

The Premier League champions are hoping to bounce back from yet another defeat, this time at the hands of Aston Villa at Villa Park last weekend, to add some hope to a worsening season across all competitions.

Goals from Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers put the outcome of the contest in the Midlands beyond any doubt either side of the half-time interval, despite Phil Foden’s injury-time goal flattering the visitors.

That defeat made it just one win in Manchester City’s last 12 matches across all competitions and their ninth loss in that period, dropping to seventh in the English top-flight accompanying their 22nd position in the UEFA Champions League.

Injuries continue to hamper the Etihad club too heading into this midweek festive tie, as Ruben Dias, Matheus Nunes, Ederson, John Stones, Rodri, and Oscar Bobb all carry varying problems in terms of injury severity.

Pep Guardiola remained tight-lipped on the number of players available for his selection when he spoke during his press conference on Christmas Eve, insisting that the full picture would not be known until after their remaining two training sessions prior to matchday.

Now, ahead of Manchester City’s traditional Boxing Day clash for 2024, with Everton the visitors to the Etihad Stadium on Thursday afternoon, here is every single word from part two of Pep Guardiola’s press conference!

On why there has been so many injuries this season

“No. Yeah basically because we didn’t have training during many, many months so there are some details that I have that the lack of training for many, many players is a lot and the demands are so high and the body cannot sustain the amount of energy or the amount of actions that you have to do when you are not well prepared. Basically it’s that.

“You have unfortunately the injuries of Oscar (Bobb) or Rodri that is completely different. The muscular (injuries) are normally is when you demand some efforts of your body and the body is not prepared, and prepared for just one reason; we could not have training.

“We had five players on the (pre-season) tour, and after the guys that came back. So the back-four for example, all defenders together this season, we didn’t have them once. We could not train once. So when players, for example, in that period, players all together they have 100 less training sessions than the year of the Treble combined all year, in that period in November in 2024.

“That is I think the reason why. The people say, ‘Oh why injuries?!’ It’s the schedule basically, and of course many years together and lack of preparation. Basically it’s that.”

On whether he would have preferred to rest John Stones more

“I can’t. Of course I would like. So normally the guys with the table massage don’t train during three or four days, they have two or three training sessions that is more or less recovery for the games and games and they have to play.

“Now they have to play another one in three days, and in three days another one. And at the end they could not sustain it for much longer. This is the… I’m not a doctor, I’m not a physio, but I think when you demand your body some amount of effort and your body is not prepared. You get injured.”

On the challenge of making the Premier League’s top-four and the financial risks of not qualifying for the UEFA Champions League

“Yeah, financially it’s an issue, of course it is. But it’s not just that. When I said this before, the people laughed. Yeah, it’s presumptuous, you know. Winning the Premier League and I said, ‘Ah the Champions League is a big success’, I know it is!

“Because it happened in the clubs in this country for many, many years like they were dominant in this club and after had been many, many years not qualifying for the Champions League. I think the only team has been 11 or 12 years being in the Champions League every season has been Man City.

“Now we are at risk (of not qualifying), of course we are! Definitely we are. We have to get points and win games and games, otherwise we will not qualify for the Champions League. If we don’t qualify, it’s because we don’t deserve it.

“Because we were not prepared, because we had a lot of problems and we didn’t solve those problems and didn’t find a way to win games, but of course there are a lot of contenders to be there. For every club it’s so important, and right now we are out, and if we don’t win games we will be out!”

On whether he ever reaches a point where he wonders/fears he cannot find a solution to problems

“No, I’m so positive in that. Of course there are doubts, absolutely. I do the decisions and it’s not good or I have to do this, or I have to do that. But I’m so positive. It’s part of the… So we make the ordinary extraordinary in the past. You know, when the people at the beginning of the season say, ‘No City is going to win the Premier League in November’.

“The people think the ordinary is to win, win when it’s something extraordinary. Now it’s happened a little bit the opposite because it’s extraordinary to lose a lot of games and that happened, and some of them it could not happen and we played more than well to not happen, but it happened because of many reasons.

“Because I’m honest; when I have the feeling that I cannot do it, and I know it’s more difficult, because I don’t have the players! That is simple. And some of them, OK, we cannot do it.”

On whether this run of form will improve Pep Guardiola as a manager

“Yeah, of course! Even when I won, we won, I didn’t take it for granted. Of course, every situation in life you make new experience and know exactly what we could have done better, what we have to do better, and what you have to do better in the future.”

On whether he has been surprised that, given the level of his Manchester City players, they have not been able to sort their issues on the pitch out themselves

“It will be easy for me to say that the reason why are the players. And it would be completely unfair because they tried, and they are not able but it’s happened because it’s many situations and they want it, and they are suffering, and they want to do it to get back. It will be easy for me (to say) that! You know? It would be easy to clear my face.

“It’s easy for me to do that because they tried; they are not able to do it all together, so it’s easy to say, ‘No the reason why is this one or this one’, there are many, many reasons. Even I could say for myself that the reason why is Pep.

“We have won what we have done in eight years, six (out of) seven (Premier League titles). Why should it be different now? There are a lot, a lot of things from the beginning of the season that didn’t went well and most of the part is our fault, and you have to fix it. This is the point.”

On whether Khaldoon Al Mubarak has spoken to him specifically about the run

“Every week we talk, I incredibly feel supported, has behaved again – maybe like it happened in the first season but it was completely different – and we are both knowing it. When there is a moment that something wrong happened, we are going to take a decision and it happens but I feel incredibly, incredibly supported by him, from of course Txiki (Begiristain) and Ferran (Soriano), but especially Khaldoon in those terms and always said, ‘OK, the situation is what it is and what we have to do to get better, to improve the team, and come on, for the next one’, always it has been positive.”

On how many times Manchester City have stayed overnight at the training ground before a game

“In this season, and here, I don’t know but we play at 12:30. I don’t know. Sometimes we play 1st of January and also we were at home, so it’s our job. We have to be here, we want to be here; if we play at 3 or 4:30, we will be at home and come back as usual. But playing at 12:30, always we have done it in these seven years.

“When we play 12:30 at home always we stay over, because of traffic when we arrive or something happening in the morning it can be a problem, and they will stay. Listen, it’s not a big, big problem. You know? It’s staying one day, sleeping here because we have a game the day after. So it’s not a big problem, honestly.”

On the Christmas party for the players and their families

“Listen, I want to be honest, if we are winning 10 games in a row, that will be perfect to celebrate with the families. I don’t like it if they go out and after they don’t behave and hungover the next day. It’s not happened! They were with the families, with friends, all together to celebrate the Christmas time on their day off.

“They had two or three days before. It would not be an issue if we win, you know? When we lose, ‘Ah why should they?!’ Why not?! They have families, right? They have kids. Why should they be at home with nothing. They celebrated, they are healthy people, they are with their loved ones. I don’t see absolutely any problem with that.”

On the importance of seeing the Manchester City players still doing the normal things despite the ongoing run

“Well yeah, the normal things for the fact that they are at home with the families at Christmas time, of course. But we have to do more! We cannot do the same because the results are not going well, you have to do more! We have to do better!

“We have to do something that we have done well during these years and now it doesn’t work, we have to do something else. Otherwise… (Do you know what that something is?) Everyone has to do more! It’s simple. I have to do more, and the players have to do more. Even the uncomfortable things and difficult things, we have to do more!”