Pep Guardiola Keeps Focused on Plymouth Ahead of Manchester City’s FA Cup Showdown

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola addressed the media in his latest press conference as he gears up to confront Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup.

Guardiola’s team will be up against a side that recently eliminated league leaders Liverpool in the previous round, and City will need to exercise caution to avoid a similar fate.

With their league title aspirations dimming, City will likely go all out for the FA Cup as they seek their final opportunity for silverware this season.

The Spanish coach initially sidestepped questions regarding the report from La Liga president Javier Tebas, who has lodged a complaint with the European Commission against Manchester City for alleged violations concerning state-owned enterprises.

Eventually, when asked if Plymouth was an unknown entity in the competition, Guardiola pointed to their remarkable triumph over Liverpool.

“They’re not an unknown quantity. If you can beat the best team in the country this season, Liverpool, then they are certainly not an unknown,” he stated.

Further queries arose about the readiness of young talent Oscar Bobb, who faced injury setbacks after a promising pre-season, suffering a broken leg just before the season commenced.

“He’s getting better; he trained yesterday and again today. However, he has been out longer than we anticipated. Hopefully, he can complete his recovery and contribute in the latter part of the season. We are very keen to help him,” Guardiola remarked.

“This is a challenging time for him, but there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. That’s just the way life is—especially in sports.”

Guardiola then confirmed that new signing Vitor Reis is in contention to start, expressing satisfaction with the young Brazilian’s adaptation to the club.

“He’s young, having arrived from Brazil, and he shows incredible focus. Defenders in Brazil possess great physicality and conditioning but are also clever and intelligent, and he stands out in that regard. He’s not here for a short period; he’s here for the long haul,” he said.

“We’re very pleased with how he’s training and his overall conduct, along with the potential he possesses.”

One journalist managed to elicit a response regarding why Manchester City seems to be a focal point for figures like Tebas, despite Guardiola’s earlier avoidance of the topic.

“I don’t know. This has happened before with UEFA, and soon it will arise with the Premier League regarding the sentence (concerning the 115 charges), right? We’ll wait and then we’ll talk,” Guardiola explained.

He then commented on the club’s recent accomplishments and whether seasoned players like Kevin De Bruyne will play a role in the club’s future beyond this season.

“It’s never impossible, but it is challenging because when you achieve what we have accomplished, it’s often seen as impossible until you do it. There are players here over 30 who are still part of this club’s future,” he noted.

“As for Kevin, he and the club will decide his future, but I expect everyone with a contract for next season to still be here. They will help us, as next season will bring many games. We cannot rely solely on the new signings; they will be integral to our campaign.”