Press Conference, Part Two: Pep Guardiola responds to Erling Haaland and Barcelona transfer rumours | OneFootball

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has spoken of recent transfer rumours linking Erling Haaland with Camp Nou interest as part of his latest media responsibilities.

The Premier League side are returning to their English top-flight agenda this weekend having been held to a frustrating 2-2 away draw in the UEFA Champions League’s league phase in the south of France on Wednesday night.

Erling Haaland thought he had set his teammates on their way to a positive outcome at the half-time interval, with his first-half brace outscoring Jordan Teze for AS Monaco, only for Manchester City to re-emerge for the second period of time short on intensity and energy to extend their advantage.

Having knocked on the door on several occasions during the second 45 minutes, it would be a Nico Gonzalez mishap inside his own penalty area that would lead to a lengthy VAR Review for a potential penalty, which would be rewarded and converted by Eric Dier.

Given the significant uplift in performances and results following the September international break, City will be desperate not to let the result in Monaco dampen their spirits, by returning to winning ways as soon as possible – starting with a weekend trip to West London.

Guardiola is expected to handle an identical fitness and injury picture to the one that faced him in European action this week, with Abdukodir Khusanov, Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Omar Marmoush all ruled out, while the club may choose to leave Rayan Cherki out despite his recent return to training – with a view towards taking extra care over his recovery from a hamstring injury.

In the second-half of Pep Guardiola’s pre-match press conference from the City Football Academy, the future of Erling Haaland and Phil Foden’s mental health struggles over the last 12 months took centre stage among the talking points.

Here is every word from the Manchester City boss!

On Barcelona viewing Erling Haaland as a ‘dream signing’: “Can you tell me one club who would not want Erling Haaland as a dream [signing]? Understandable Barcelona [want] Erling as a dream and all the teams around the world, so… If Erling was not with us it would be a dream of Man City to have Erling. What is going to happen? Honestly, I don’t know.

“I know [he has] a long contract here and I think he’s doing really well, scoring a lot of goals, and I have the feeling that the team helps him a lot and makes a lot of actions for him to be able to score goals. And we play better and better to create more chances to score more goals; this is what happens. Always I want the team to concede less and create more.

“And after, it’s only a game. Football, you can create more and concede less and lose the game or not win. It’s the only sport in the world. Golf, basketball, handball, tennis – if the statistics are better, you win. 10 to 10, 100%.

“In football, no. That’s why if you create 19 shots and it’s not enough, you have to create 25, if it’s not enough it has to be 35. And this is what we have to do.”

On whether Erling Haaland’s length of contract shows this is where he wants to be: “I think Erling is not stupid enough to sign something he would not like to accomplish. That’s for sure. But, football, who knows what is going to happen in the next time. Nobody knows.”

On balancing the addition of new players and new coaching staff this season, similar to Liverpool’s wholesale changes: “No, the backroom staff I learn from them, not them learning from us. And about Liverpool, I’m not the right person to answer this question because I’m not there.

(In terms of Manchester City?) “It had been when I arrived, and after one year especially when we signed 10 players and we made after 100 points, and winning the Premier League I think so, I don’t know. Was it the first season? 100 points? I don’t know.

“But at the same time, I said before, maybe it’s hard a little bit but it’s nice. It’s nice! As much as you know what you have to do to get better, it’s top. I like it.”

On the importance of patience with Phil Foden to ensure he was right physically and mentally before returning him to the pitch: “How strong he is in admitting that, right? A figure like Phil can be open-minded and speak, like today in the young teenagers and even old people has struggled with that. Nobody is away from that, everyone can be that.

“And accepting the reality, that’s WOW! That’s fantastic. That’s why when I see him now, and forgetting about performing at the level he’s performing because it’s a top level; his joy in training sessions, his laugh, his vocal voice in the locker room, being back – it’s enough.

“It’s just what we want. The rest? We will help him to play as best as possible because the quality is being there, being healthy, you know? At the end, it’s sport, it’s win, lose, draw and the important thing is being a human being, being healthy, with his family and himself, and doing what you want to do.

“That is what we want, and I’m happy that step by step he’s top now. That’s why now, look at the games, and being involved in many, many things.”

On the importance of him being honest about himself with the club: “It’s everything! Only we know is that last season always we were there [for] Phil. Always we are there. The club, in that, is beyond exceptional. We have incredible human people, helping, helping, helping.

“I never, never when one person suffered a little bit in this type of period in their life, like this too shall pass, always life in good moments and bad moments, always it’s the next chapter, it’s really, really good to feel that…

“Always we let them feel that we are there, unconditionally and whatever happens, I don’t care about your performance, it’s what you feel in that way. Human beings come first. In front of everything in life. And we try to take care of people in that way. I’m happy that…

“Everybody knows, the level that he played last season and playing this season, it’s another situation. And even in that moment, playing a bad game, of course everyone can do that! What is important is that he feels good.”