Pep Guardiola: "The serve to win Wimbledon is the most difficult"
“It was so difficult a game,” he tells the BBC. “We knew it. They play with a lot of pride and intensity and it’s so difficult to play against them. Spurs will in the future be unbelievable if they stick with the manager. We gave the chance in our hands for the last game. The tennis players say ‘the serve to win Wimbledon’, the last game, is the most difficult one.
“It happened in our period against Aston Villa. And many many years ago it happened with Sergio Aguero [scoring] in 93 minutes 20 seconds against QPR. So there will be the typical game. Now calm, thinking [about Michail] Antonio, [Jarrod] Bowen, [James] Ward-Prowse.”
On the injuries suffered by his players. “Kevin [De Bruyne] had a kick to the ankle and couldn’t run properly. Ederson did not have concussion, he had a problem with his eye. He could not see properly so the doctor said I should change. He [Stefan Ortega] is a world-class keeper. He’s an exceptional, exceptional keeper.
“We know what we’re playing for. The tension is there, the rival is so good. It’s why it is difficult, we know that. Everyone come to the stadium and make noise. These games are more difficult but you have to do it. We’ll have one day off, two days to prepare, and then we will do our best.”
James Maddison: "We had big moments ourselves"
“You know City are always going to probe and have moments, it is just whether you can stay strong and see those moments out,” he tells Sky Sports, upon being asked what the view was at half-time when the game was still scoreless. “They have such quality though. We had big moments ourselves, in the first half we were really in the game. We gave them problems in the set-up and felt like we had an extra man in midfield. They took their chances in their moments and we didn’t, and we did have some. It’s fine margins at the top level.
“We are at the start of our journey with the gaffer,” he tells Sky. “It is hard to talk directly after losing but in the summer, reflecting after all is said and done, we will be a better, stronger outfit for what we have been through this year. The high of starting so well, then the dip and then up and down. I am sure we will be better for it next season. One game left and we will give it our all and see where that leaves us.”
