Pep Guardiola hyllar Benzema

Manchester City-tränaren Josep Guardiola har pratat om hans lags kommande åttondelsmatch i Champions League mot Real Madrid. 

Katalanen diskuterade Zinedine Zidanes approach, Karim Benzema och hans egna försvarsspel med mera.

Guardiola tror att den andra matchen kommer vara mycket olik den första där hans lag vann med 2-1. Marca citerar honom som följande:

The first leg was played a long time ago, a long time.

They are different games.

We are at home, but without our fans.

This sport is for the people. The players want to play with them in the stands and for themselves, but now it is not possible.

This is reality. The first thing is health. We will see when it will be possible [to have fans].

It matters more that the children return to school than fans to the stadiums.

När han tillfrågades om hans läckande försvar känner Guardiola inte att han behöver ta till några särskilda åtgärder:

Every situation is different.

In this competition, mistakes punish you a lot.

We have talked about that, but sometimes you just have to applaud the opponent.

We are aware that we have to take another step.

Citytränaren valde även att hylla Madridtränaren Zinedine Zidane för dennes oberäknelighet:

I think [Madrid] are a team that you expect them to be one way and they come out another.

We have talked about them, but we have focused more on ourselves, on what we have to do to beat them.

In the first leg we saw more things from Madrid, because we knew them less.

Hyllar Benzema

Guardiolas förflutna i Barcelona är välkänt men katalanen understryker att detta inte påverkar hans motivation att besegra Real Madrid:

No. Of course I’m a Barcelona supporter, but I’ve already played against Bayern and Barcelona.

I’m focused on what we have to do for this club to get to the next round.

I want to beat any opponent, whoever they are.

Karim Benzema är en av männen som City kommer behöva se upp för och Guradiola väljer att hylla fransmannen inför matchen:

Benzema is extraordinary, fantastic.

But since my time at Barcelona there have been 20 players that have come onto the scene and people have asked if we can compare him with [Leo] Messi. 20 players.

Matchen äger rum ikväll.