Pep Guardiola gave detailed updates on the status of several players

Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola shared his thoughts during a live press conference on the team’s current status, title race, and important matters related to players.

On substituting Nico O’Reilly in the match against Wolverhampton:
“He’s played in many games. Sometimes players perform excellently but don’t appear in the next match. Others play less well but start regularly. It’s not punishment — we analyze each match and draw conclusions. It’s especially positive that our young players are consistently contributing.”

On O’Reilly’s role in the team:
“Of course, it’s hard to imagine our results without his involvement. Nico is an important player for us.”

On O’Reilly’s midfield position:
“Undoubtedly, he can perform very well there too. Where will he play tomorrow? You’ll see on the pitch…”

On Kevin De Bruyne possibly joining another Premier League club:
“I don’t know. I wish only the best for Kevin and his family.”

On the UCL qualification battle and goals in the EPL:
“6–7 teams are fighting for Champions League spots. If we win the remaining three games — we’ll reach our goal. It’s all in our hands.”

On whether second place and a Cup win make the season successful:
“I’m not thinking about that. My only focus right now is Southampton. I think about them for hours every day.”

On Xabi Alonso’s success at Bayer:
“Truly remarkable achievement. Anyone who knew him as a player knew he’d become a great coach. Competing with Bayern in Germany is already a big deal. He only lost in the Europa League final — stayed unbeaten otherwise. His team’s football and player growth are something Leverkusen can be proud of.”

On Erling Haaland’s comment about “lack of hunger” in the squad:
“If Erling feels that, it should be discussed among the players. We’re happy with results, but consistency is key.”

On Rodri’s current condition:
“He’s not yet ready to play with the team.”

On Ake and Bobb’s injuries:
“Nathan Ake and Oscar Bobb are partially training, but not fully ready for matches yet.”

On Kovacic’s performance this season:
“He’s playing wonderfully. Especially when alongside Bernardo, Gundogan, or Nico — he’s operating at a very high level.”

On the team’s current form:
“In the second half of the season we showed some of our best results. That’s the outcome of the team’s hard work.”

On the upcoming match against Southampton:
“The score is 0–0. It’s a very important game for us. Only three matches remain. We respect the opponent,” said the Spanish coach.

Guardiola’s Manchester City faces Southampton on May 10 at 19:00. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!