Pep Guardiola faced the media on Friday ahead of Manchester City’s home opener against Tottenham on Saturday afternoon. As he usually does, Guardiola arrived late to the conference, although only two minutes this time compared to 15 last week. Guardiola faced questions about injuries, the opposition, Premier League spending and his back-room staff.
Injury updates
Pep began by clarifying the situation with Rodri and Foden, who were both with City’s travelling squad for Wolves last week, saying "Rodri and Phil last game, they were out, but just for lack of training and rhythm. They were not on for any minutes against Wolves but they were ready and of course they are ready for tomorrow.” He then stated that Kovačić, Joško, Savinho and Bettinelli are the only players injured ahead of tomorrow.
BREAKING: Rodri and Phil Foden are "ready" for #ManCity vs Tottenham, says Pep Guardiola.
— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) August 22, 2025
What has Pep seen from Thomas Frank’s Spurs
Pep downplayed the changes at Spurs, stating "It’s too early to know but I don’t have any doubt that Thomas will do an incredible job in a big, big club like he did with Brentford. No doubt. He’s a top-class manager, and in different scenarios, different alternatives for how they can play, and we saw they can suffer it as he did at Brentford"
Bringing a style of play to a club quickly?
Guardiola was somewhat philosophical in his answer here, saying "First it’s funny, new scenario, new players, new atmospheres, new expectations, so it’s always funny, it’s a challenge for yourself and the team. But I have the feeling that you have to wait. I remember my first season, the first official games, we won all ten, and after we didn’t win for other reasons. I know today, everything is judged on one game, in one game the season will be that way. We don’t learn from what has happened in the past. It’s just the beginning, it’s just one game."
Building back City’s 'fear factor'
Pep again downplayed how fast change can happen, answering "I don’t know, it’s one game. I like a lot of things that I’m seeing, on a daily basis in training and behaviours, I like it. I would like to be a magician to know what’s going to happen, but I don’t know."
Losing 4-0 to Spurs last season - looking for revenge?
The Catalan denied the idea that City are ‘out for revenge,’ stating "No. It’s just another opportunity, revenge makes no sense. Spurs have always been a tough opponent for us, but this is a new season. What happened in the past is passed. It’s a new season, new vibes, and the game will be hopefully like last season in the first 15-20 minutes where we created a lot to get comfortable winning, but Spurs have always been a really good team with good players."
It's just what we do.
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 23, 2024
Highlights: Man City 0-4 Spurs 🍿 pic.twitter.com/DOmQtJYX9e
Premier League spending
Coyly, Guardiola quickly answered "I think the clubs spend, with the strict financial rules, because they can do it. Apparently it’s not just Man City, right?"
How important is Rodri being back
Pep spoke about his Ballon d’Or winner, saying "I just want consistent Rodri. I don’t have any doubts about his potential, quality. Still he’s the best player in the world, in a few months they’ll elect a new one but he still is. It’s just about consistency, training weeks, training weeks, games, minutes, and after everything will be fine."
How pleased with Trafford, and will he play tomorrow?
Asked about City’s goalkeeping situation, Guardiola said "We’ll decide if he plays tomorrow. The new players always bring a new energy. James brings his youth, his desire to play in the club, was born and grown [here]."
Transfer updates
Pep had little interest in discussing transfer rumours, stating "They are our players, and we will see what happens. I think some things will happen, but we will see."
Dias contract extension, and importance of him and Stones being fit
Pep again spoke about City’s injury problems last season, saying "All I asked at the beginning of the season, is that I want the team fit. Injuries will be injuries, but not as much as last season. Just players to play and compete, that’s all I want.
OFFICIAL: Ruben Dias has signed a new four-year #ManCity contract until 2029. pic.twitter.com/V7kEyssNCJ
— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) August 22, 2025
Impact of Pep Lijnders
Another chance for Guardiola to speak philosophically, he reminisced on his former-backroom staff and the influence they have had on him, answering "I’m really pleased working as I was with Juanma, in the past with Enzo Maresca, Mikel. I’ve been so lucky to have incredible people around me who teach me a lot, inspire me, with their advice, their knowledge, their vision of what will happen during the day, and Pep is no different. Bringing us incredible energy, knowledge, incredible work-ethic. Him, Kolo Toure and James [French] are the three guys who came this season and we are really pleased."
Ederson’s fitness
Pep very simply answered “Yep."
Vindication from other team’s spending money?
Prodded on the question of spending again, Guardiola defiantly refused to attack other clubs, saying "Absolutely not. I know they do it to us, but I will not play that game. Everyone will do what they believe is the best for the team. I know our spending net in the last 10-11 years is amazing. You spend because you sell, otherwise you can’t spend. We have been really good, that’s why we’re sustainable. This season we spend more because of the injuries, the Club World Cup, but in the previous season we only spent little because we had a team that were champions that were stable but then we got injuries. But every club does what they want, we spend a lot, but our spend net is fantastic. The business is people spend to win, and the level that you can in this league, for many reasons they have more resources than other leagues to do it, and if they do it it’s because they want to try."
