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Pep Guardiola launched a four-and-a-half-minute defence of his team selection in the 3-0 Champions League defeat by Real Madrid. Guardiola chose to play an attacking 4-2-2-2 formation at the Bernabéu stadium on Wednesday and the visitors were ultimately humbled by a Federico Valverde hat-trick to leave them on the brink of a European exit.
“I had to explain it [team selection] before and after? After 10 years? I would not convince you one second, any one of you, anyone,” Guardiola said before City’s visit to West Ham on Saturday. “Why? Because we lost 3-0, destroyed, yeah it’s normal. It’s not personal, believe me, it’s all the managers.
“It’s not the first time I played in that competition, the Champions League, 17 years playing in that competition, and every time I lose, boom, my God. Pew, pew, pew [users fingers to mimic firing bullets]. A lot. Is it new? No, it’s OK. The storm passed in one day, now West Ham, and prepare for [the second leg on] Tuesday. And if Tuesday we will be out, we’ll be: ‘Ohhhh, I have a lot of fans in the media’. Don’t worry. Supporters, a lot of fans, I have a lot, so it will happen. It’s OK, it’s fine. I have to do my job and my best, honestly. Knowing that if we win, it’s good, and if we lose it’s bad.”
City had the majority of possession and 75% more touches in the opposition box than their opponents in Madrid but still drew a blank, with a number of crosses being wasted. “The players in the box have to make a movement before the pass, to smell where the ball will go,” said Guardiola. “You make a movement, beat your man before the ball [is played] and you will score. It’s guts and nose, that is the question for them – that is all.”
Erling Haaland was partnered by Antoine Semenyo in attack in Madrid, a change from the Norwegian’s usual lone striking role. The move was perhaps an attempt by Guardiola to revitalise a player who has scored only four times in his past 17 games. However, he has an impressive record against West Ham, scoring 11 goals in seven appearances against the east London side.
According to Guardiola, City are “desperate” for all three points against West Ham as they seek to close the gap with Arsenal in the title race. The 55-year-old goes into the game having been handed the Premier League manager of the month award for February, the first time he has collected the accolade since December 2021, after collecting 12 points from a possible 15.
