Ahead of Manchester City's important upcoming home match against Inter Milan in the first round of the Champions League stage, manager Pep Guardiola attended a press conference to give his thoughts on topics such as his team's form, expectations for the game and his players' performances.
Talking about the impact of the new Champions League campaign on the team's mentality, Guardiola said that the team will focus on every game, especially the upcoming showdown with Inter. He emphasized that the team's goal is to win every game, and will adjust its strategy according to the schedule and table situation. Guardiola is open to future matches, but he is more focused on the immediate challenge of getting all three points at home.
Regarding the experience of defeating Inter in the 2023 Champions League final, Guardiola believes that while that game is worth remembering, it will not be a source of inspiration for this match. He calmly pointed out that the team needs to make adjustments to Inter's current attacking style and game characteristics for this first group stage match.
Guardiola spoke highly of Inter's outstanding performance in Serie A last season. He believes that Inter is a team with history and strong spiritual temperament, good at high pressing and one-on-one defense, with Brentford
Similar in some ways. Meanwhile, Guardiola also mentioned Inter's strengths in set-pieces and midfield, especially the great performances of players like Barella. He reminded his team that they must be ready to deal with pressure and try to play at their level in the game.
Talking about Harland's amazing goal-scoring efficiency this season, Guardiola expressed both surprise and relief. He joked that he would be very satisfied if Harland could score another 99 goals in the next 100 games. At the same time, Guardiola also recognized Harland's active participation and continuous improvement in the game, believing that he is gradually improving his ability by playing more games. Guardiola was equally pleased and positive about the good form of other players such as De Bruyne.
Speaking about the competition in the midfield position, Guardiola said that it is a positive phenomenon. He believes that the return and good form of players such as Gündoğan and Foden provide more options for the team. He emphasized that the team needs competition to stimulate the players' morale and potential, and will rotate the players as appropriate according to the match conditions. However, he also reminded the players that they have to be ready and show their strengths to get a chance to play.
Finally, when asked if Lautaro could beat Rodri to the Ballon d'Or, Guardiola said it was an open question. He acknowledged that Lautaro is a great player and has a brilliant record of accolades, but also expressed his desire to see a player in the City team win the honor more than anything else.
