Pep Guardiola conducted his post-match press conference after Manchester City’s Premier League game with Bournemouth
Pep Guardiola said that he will talk with City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak in the coming days to decide whether he will see out the final year of his contract. Guardiola is set to leave but insisted that he has not spoken to Al Mubarak about a final decision.
The City boss conducted his post match media duties as normal following Manchester City’s draw with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. The Blues trailed at the break when Junior Kroupi curled home for the hosts, who are chasing a place in the Champions League.
Erling Haaland equalised in injury time but City were unable to get the winner that they needed to keep the title race alive. That concluded one of the big stories of the season, but another was Guardiola’s future with the news out on Monday night that the manager will leave at the end of the season.
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He was not asked by Sky Sports before the game but afterwards the City chief was asked to clarify his position. Having told the broadcaster that he still had a year on his contract, he then faced the written media in his press conference.
This is what he had to say as he spoke to reporters after the game in exchanges that were dominated by questions of his future.
You have one more year on your contract but are you able to give us an insight into the future and what your plans are?
“Congratulate Arsenal. Mikel and his backroom staff [have their] hands on the Premier League. Well deserved. At the same time, for my managerial career one of the years where we fought the most, we were incredible with things that we could not control and we never give up. I would have loved to arrive in the last moment to try but today the fatigue was there.
“They had 12 days to prepare that game and played for qualification for the Champions League. An extraordinary team, incredibly well-managed and three days-three days-three days Brentford, Crystal Palace and today we missed it and the impact of fresh players was not good enough from the players who came from the bench.
“We broke the team, the tempo that we have, we want to play a lot of short passes so they don’t make a lot of transitions. It’s so difficult against Bournemouth, that’s why Kova, Bernrado, Rodri and the others came inside to make short passes.
“We played really well but we conceded. We had our chance in the second half with Nico and the linesman made so quick the action for one against one against Erling when he should wait to see if he is offside or onside. He didn’t do it but we fought an incredible lot and we prepare for next season.”
Are you still going to be in charge after Sunday for next season?
“With the club, I always talk but not now. When it was three, four seasons ago, when there was one year left I should talk with my chairman first. When I talk with my chairman, we decide [whether] to have one more year and we talk everything will decide.”
When will you speak with your chairman, after Sunday?
“No, we will talk in the next days. I always said that when you are fighting for the titles, qualification for the Champions League or Premier Leagues or FA Cups and you decide to go, in the first moment there is a problem the players don’t follow you any more. You have to stay there and always when I talk with my chairman and he says what am I going to do, I say let the season go and when it will be over we will talk. But he deserves [to be] the first to talk about what we have to do.”
You’ve seemed very nostalgic these last few months with memories and things you’ll miss about football. Is that the kind of headspace you’ve been in when you’ve been making those decisions and having those thoughts?
“No. It’s been a top year, a good year honestly for many situations, it was tough playing against an excellent team like Arsenal in the finals of the Champions League. I’m fine. Now is a moment with Ferran and especially my chairman to talk and after that we will see what happens.”
You’ve pushed Arsenal to the last week. You’ve won two trophies. It’s a young squad. Do you feel that the future with or without you is very bright.
“I had the feeling that the season, the fact that the perspective is good for many years, 10 years, you have to win every game and every week and every month again. It’s nothing for granted. Next season we will be back – City will be back – and we will try to bring the team in that sense competing until the end in those competitions. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose in the last moment because the opponents are really good, really tough, and this is what we have to try again.”
There have been a lot of new players over the last 18 months. How pleased have you been over the last two months with the level of new players and how they have grown?
“Since January was really good. We had many injuries and many, many things we could not control. I learnt a lot this season about what we have to do to win. We have to make a lot of points, you have to win a good advantage, otherwise there are circumstances you cannot control.
“We played in many moments with difficulties and never give up and that’s why we are here. I would love to arrive until the last moment against Aston Villa at home with a chance but unfortunately we didn’t win because today we missed that pace, that situation that is required to play teams like Bournemouth. Seventeen games unbeaten is because they’re a really good side and in three days the travel to London for Chelsea was not a brilliant final because you need to be fresh in many things and our calendar was really tough in this last part of the season.”
You went to the City fans tonight. They obviously love you and will be going to the game on Sunday wondering if it is the last time. What do you say to them?
“Let me talk with my chairman. I know they love me so much, I love them more. It’s the best place to be. I love that place, I adore it. Let me talk about my club. People say I talk with a million people and I was incredibly focused on my job. We are in the competitions. I was there and this is what I have to do.”
