Pep Guardiola faced the media ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash against Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, with Joao Cancelo an obvious talking point following his unexpected loan move to Bayern Munich along with the fitness statuses of John Stones and Phil Foden.
Firstly, Cancelo:
"First, I wish him the very best. Next season I do not know what is going to happen. Incredible figure in the last two Premier Leagues we won. After the World Cup, we make a pre-season and decided to play, in some patterns different. I like what I watch. I give more time to other players. His personality, mine, he loves to play. He trains the best, in the situation he doesn't play much. In the last years [he was] one of the players with more minutes. He needs to play to be happy, we decide to let him go to Munich.
"He wants to play every single game and hopefully, he can in Munich."
More on Cancelo:
"If Bayern Munich want Joao it's because he's an exceptional player. I won't say a bad word, his work ethic, passion, skills. Everyone knows it. It happens one or two days before the window. Always I'm pleased with the squad. Being not sure, it's better to have the money in the bank and don't be criticised to spend more."
On the left-back situation:
"We talked [about signing a new left-back], but took three minutes. I said do you have something, Txiki said no. I said wait. We could go to the market and pay a huge amount of money. I prefer a few months until the end of the season, we can do it without. In the summer we see."
On Nathan Ake's importance:
"Nathan cannot play all games. Aymeric can play there [left-back], Rico [Lewis] can play there, and of course, Sergio [Gomez]."
Can Phil Foden play at left-back / left wing-back:
"No. In an emergency, he can play there. Now he plays his natural positions, behind the striker."
Foden's availability:
"Yeah better, he's trained really well in the last few days. I think he will be available, yeah."
On John Stones' fitness:
"Three weeks, one month [out]. Unfortunately, a lot of games. In a few weeks, he will be back."
Pep on Chelsea's spending:
"None of my business. It's a surprise because it's not a club state. We won 11 titles in the last five years being one of the five or six net spend teams in the league.
"I know what would happen [reaction, if City spent similar]. What I said, being the last fifth or sixth in the Premier League net spending, we won 11 trophies, four Premier Leagues in five years. What Chelsea have done is none of my business. We know what we are working. What Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, United, without good players you have to spend. Now the market is 'wow'. What they do is not my business. There are regulations, I don't forget, eight or nine teams sent a letter to [get City] banned. We are the fifth team in net spend."
On the reaction post Spurs at home:
"What were the results? If we lost or drew it would be a bad result. I know the team, it doesn't matter what happens. All the decisions we take are for the best. Even when I said my comments I don't know what happens. I express my feelings. Two games and we have to continue."
On the poor record at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium:
"They were better than us. When we were there we played well, missed penalties. They don't give you anything, before, now with Antonio Conte, they are a tough opponent. Always there for titles. A tough place to go."
On Antonio Conte:
"Antonio is an active person in the touchline, guides really well the team. They know really well the patterns. They know exactly, we want him to get well soon [from gallbladder surgery] and be back in his position [as he won't be on the touchline as he recovers]."
On Erling Haaland and Harry Kane:
"I'm extremely happy with Erling. Of course, Tottenham are happy with Kane. What an exceptional player. The numbers he has done, more than the goals but the quality. They didn't win a title so he's not a good player? He has proved the statistics aren't in the titles. He remains one of the best strikers I have seen in my life. Are managers bad if they don't win titles? Tottenham are happy to have him, we're happy with Erling who can give us many years."
Pep on Pedro Porro:
"Perfect to play five at the back, last season we suffer when we play against Sporting. This season Tottenham vs Sporting, a good signing for Spurs. No [we didn't think about re-signing him], he was on the list but we didn't think about the buy-back. He decided to go to Spurs."
On coping without Cancelo:
"We can handle the situation in all departments. I trust the players. If I had the feeling, I'd say to my bosses we should do this. With Manu Akanji, I said we should have another central defender. Nathan was injured, Ruben too, and John. We had this opportunity. In this case completely different."
Written by: @NA1907_
Quotes as quoted by Manchester Evening News and Manchester City.
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