Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has underlined the significance of Sunday’s Matchday 32 trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea.
Second-placed City trail Arsenal by nine points but hold a game in hand; the Gunners still must visit the Etihad, a result that could prove decisive in the title race.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Guardiola said: “We need to pick up a lot of points to keep our chances of winning the Premier League title alive. I have a lot of yellow cards, and that reflects the intensity with which we play.”
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The Manchester City manager added: “We desperately need to pick up points. We haven’t been very consistent this season, and we’ve dropped points we should have picked up, so we’re now in a position where we can’t afford to drop any more.”
On injuries, he reported that Ruben Dias is improving but will miss Sunday’s Chelsea clash, while John Stones will undertake partial training today and Gvardiol remains some way from full fitness.
On Bernardo Silva’s future, Guardiola revealed, “I’m annoyed with Bernardo because I told him a month ago, ‘When you decide, I must be the first to know,’ but he hasn’t told me anything. I joked, ‘Tell me, I deserve to know,’ but he didn’t, so I don’t know what’s going on.”.
“He is an excellent player by any measure. He has played a lot of matches over our nine years together and rarely misses a game through injury. He can slot in anywhere, is extremely intelligent and reads every phase of the match, giving us confidence whenever he steps on the pitch.”
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Guardiola stated: “The best decision I’ve made this season was to give him the captain’s armband. Bernardo isn’t the tallest, nor is he our top scorer or assist provider, but as a manager I rate him highly because he always brings his natural character to the pitch without fear. He’s been a fantastic addition to the team, and I hope he finishes his career here.”
“Leadership is simple: putting the team first. We often hear people say ‘the nation comes first’, yet that promise is not always kept. Bernardo consistently prioritises Manchester City.”
He also noted: “It is every manager’s dream to have a player capable of playing in every position except in goal. This reflects his tactical intelligence. He played as a winger in the treble-winning season, which was the most important season of our career.”
“He can operate in attacking midfield, though he is not a prolific scorer or a player who consistently runs behind defences. Yet his ability to read the game’s rhythm is exceptional, and he influences every phase of play. Players may evolve with age, but Bernardo’s exceptional tactical awareness is a rare gift.”