Pep Guardiola spent a couple of days visiting family in Barcelona last week, precious relaxation time before the final push trying to create history with Manchester City.
Guardiola is still intense but at 52 not the obsessive that saw him twice win the Champions League at Barcelona when he began his managerial career.
City are just seven games away from emulating Manchester United’s unique achievement of winning the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup in 1999, and face a key few days with Everton away on Sunday in the league followed by Real Madrid at the Etihad on Wednesday.
The first leg of their Champions League semi-final ended 1-1 in Madrid after which Guardiola took advantage of being back in Spain to go back ‘home’ for to see his wife and youngest daughter.
‘It was more difficult for me to handle things in my early years at Barcelona. Now I’m a bit better at knowing how to,’ he says candidly about the pressure that comes with the territory.
Pep Guardiola hopes his team can compete in all competitions as they vie for the treble
The Spanish coach said he learned how to cope with pressure during his time at Barcelona
City are seven games away from emulating Manchester United’s 1999 treble winning season
‘It’s true the job never stops but at the same time it’s nice. I try to sleep as much as possible and when there are five days between games, I can switch off.
‘On Tuesday it was Madrid and then Everton on Sunday, so I went to Barcelona for two days to see my wife and my little daughter and stay there. That helped me. When there are only three days between games, no chance. You finish one game and start preparing for the next one.
‘I prefer the way I am now that I am older. I cope with it a little better, I think. I have learned many times at stages when I have lost, especially in the Champions League, that you will be criticised for one day, two days. Then the next day, you start preparing for next season.
‘And you also realise that nothing much changes whether you win or lose in the end, honestly. Of course, in that moment it is important to try and do it, but [whatever the result] we are still here.
‘I’m not complaining. It’s a privilege. Yes, the job can demand a lot but there is excitement to try and win the next match, win titles at the end.
‘That gives you an incredible energy when you are tired. The tension is there, the pressure is there, I feel it, they feel it but that’s normal.’
While the world appears focused on whether City can with their first Champions League, and Guardiola’s first since 2011, the manager is clear he doesn’t want to sacrifice the Premier League title — he wants his players fighting for both as equal priority.
City have won their last 10 matches to overtake Arsenal at the top and are odds-on to be champions for the fourth time in five seasons.
Having done the hard work, Guardiola would hate a lapse in concentration at Goodison Park because they’ve got half an eye on Luka Modric and Karim Benzema. And while he has been grumpy about having to go to Merseyside on Sunday rather than Saturday, he’s made it clear the players can’t use the busy schedule as an excuse — and he doesn’t think it will.
But they will have to defeat Real Madrid on Wednesday if they are to advance to the Champions League final
Everton, who defeated Brighton 5-1 last weekend, also stand in their way this weekend
And Guardiola said he was ‘pretty convinced there will be incredible focus at Goodison Park’
‘I don’t know what is going to happen but I am pretty convinced there will be incredible focus at Goodison Park,’ predicts the City boss.
‘The players are so respectful to our opponents. They know exactly how difficult going to Everton is because they live it and what they are playing for. I’ve said many times the Premier League is such an important title. I know the highlights of the Champions League is so special but the league is many tough games over many months.
‘We can’t lose the mindset of where we have to be. Three days is enough time to prepare for Real Madrid with our people to do our best and reach a final.
‘It is not the first time we have had incredible games but Everton is one hour by bus and then home. It is not as demanding as playing a Champions League away and three days later you have to play in Brighton or Southampton.
‘We are privileged, the club takes good care of us perfectly and we have to be ready to do it. “Come on!”
Guardiola’s line-up at Goodison will be fascinating with the European champions lying in wait next.
He didn’t make any substitutions in the Bernabeu and theoretically his squad is strong enough to completely change the front three and bring in Riyad Mahrez, Julian Alvarez and Phil Foden.
At the same time, 51-goal Erling Haaland carries the physical characteristics to combat Sean Dyche’s side. The temptation will be to start with the Norwegian again and hope he can come off after an hour with the points already in the bag.
And the Man City boss will be hoping his team does not have one eye on Luka Modric (right) for their upcoming semi-final second leg
It will be interesting to see his starting line-up against Everton but Guardiola will expect a performance for anyone who plays
Guardiola expects anyone drafted in to produce the goods. ‘It doesn’t matter if someone has been playing recently or not,’ he said. ‘They are here, getting taken care of really well and when the team needs them, they will be ready.’
Kyle Walker has been a good role model. Left out at times, his duel with Vinicius Junior was one of the highlights of the Madrid clash. Guardiola says the England defender is wise enough to know why he’s been rotated. ‘We speak together, the reasons (of being left out) can be tactical, no more than that,’ he says.
‘He is a really important player for us. Sometimes we need him specifically, sometimes we need a different type in that position for better build-ups. In the FA Cup, we played Sergio (Gomez) because of the way Sheffield United defend.
‘I’m very pleased that all the time he is needed, Kyle is ready.’
