Pep Guardiola says Manchester City will change their approach in the Champions League Final against Inter, but Italians ‘feel comfortable’ saying they are not favourite.
The Spanish tactician spoke to Sky Sport Italia during Manchester City’s media day organised by UEFA on Tuesday.
Guardiola said that the upcoming Champions League Final against Inter won’t be the most important game of his career.
“No. It’s very important, but I’ve had others, I don’t think it’s more important than the ones with Barcelona, the one I lost against Capello’s Milan as a footballer or Chelsea,” said Pep.
Guardiola noted that Inter’s ability to build up from the back with goalkeeper André Onana is one of the potential threats to his team.
“Identifying the space and emptying the midfield is a special quality. Then they use long balls with Dzeko, Lukaku, Lautaro and Correa. Plus late runs, and processes through Bastoni and Darmian and also Onana. Normally, teams have great keepers, but he is exceptional with his feet. This is another concept that must be faced.”
One of Johan Cruijff’s most iconic quotes is: ‘Italians can not beat us, but we can certainly lose against them’, and Pep seemed to agree.
“I couldn’t go against Crujif, he was the most important person in my career. Italy is strong in any competition,” argued Guardiola.
“You [Italians] feel comfortable saying you are not favourites, but we just accept it, and there is nothing more we can do. We want to win, but we all know Inter want the same. It will be a tough game because of their quality and defensive structure, but not only that. They do many good things, if not they wouldn’t be in the Champions League Final.”
Vincenzo Maresca returned to Man City last summer, how will he help Guardiola prepare for the Final against an Italian club?
“He knows Italian football better than anyone else, but at the end of the day, it’s 11 vs 11,” said Guardiola.
“I think all coaches speak to their staff members because football is about ideas and your people’s ideas are as important as yours.
“Right now, it’s not about athletic preparation. It’s about getting there with the right mentality. The approach must be completely different because Inter play in a very different way, so we must go ahead with tranquillity and leave everything on the pitch.”
How does he feel knowing that if Man City don’t win, the season will be seen as a failure despite Premier League and FA Cup victories?
“If everyone’s saying it, then it’s like this,” said Pep.
“What people say doesn’t change my mind, but if everyone’s saying it, I must accept it and live with it with tranquillity. Since we won the Treble with Barcelona in the first season, every time we didn’t do the same it was a problem. We accept it and go ahead.”
Guardiola concluded by saying that he will remain at Manchester City even if he win the Champions League, having two years left in his contract.
“Ask me later, if we win, but we have everything here, being here is a dream, there is everything a coach needs. Regardless of what happens, we’ll go ahead with the idea of improving every time. We are judged on what we do, not on what we achieve. When you win, you are good, when you lose you are not. Here it’s the same, but they give you a little more time.”
Click here for Guardiola’s pre-match press conference.