At the end of Manchester City's friendly match with Barcelona, manager Pep Guardiola spoke highly of his team's performance, especially the play of the young players, in a press conference, despite the team's loss on penalties.
Guardiola began by praising the outstanding performances of youth players such as Nico O'Reilly, Rico Lewis, McCarty and Oscar Bob. He believes that these young players have shown a strong desire to play and a determination to become part of the first team, and their performances have not only won the recognition of the coaching staff, but also earned the respect of senior players. Guardiola singled out Nico O'Reilly as a talented player who is capable of playing on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball and is expected to be an important part of the team in the future.
Guardiola also gave credit to Calvin Phillips for his performance as a guest defender in the game. He admitted that Calvin's ability to hold the ball up in tight spaces could be improved, but the effort and confidence he showed on the field was impressive. As for Calvin's future position, Guardiola said that he is not sure yet, but he stepped up to the plate when the team needed him and contributed to the team.
In addition, Guardiola praised Gralish for his positive performance and goals. He felt that Gralish showed a strong desire to attack and the ability to shoot in the game, which is what the team needed.
Guardiola expressed his satisfaction with the team's overall performance in several friendlies. He believes that the team has improved in every game and their form is getting better and better. He especially thanked young players such as Rico Lewis, Oscar Bob, and Nico O'Reilly for their excellent play, and believes that their growth and progress is an important cornerstone for the team's future development.
Finally, Pep Guardiola said that the team will continue to train and improve hard to be fully prepared for the upcoming new season. He believes that with the joint efforts of all the players and coaching staff, Manchester City will be able to achieve better results in the new season.
