It’s a measure of how Pep Guardiola’s mind works that the Manchester City boss can start a post-match press conference by talking about his star striker scoring five goals, taking aim at social media criticism of his caps and end by lamenting a trip to Old Trafford more than six years ago by his “idol” Julia Roberts.
But it was Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium an hour after his side beat RB Leipzig 7-0. Even his normally chatty media officer was left virtually speechless at the unexpected direction Guardiola’s thought process had taken him.
We could have guessed he was in a playful mood from his initial reaction when asked about Haaland’s performance.
“Five goals…” he said.
Finally, he added a little more: “The problem for this guy is that if he doesn’t score two or three goals, he will be criticized. »
Guardiola seemed to articulate something that had bothered him for a long time.
He was then asked if Haaland, who has now scored 39 goals this season, was the player who could finally turn City into Champions League winners.
“We have always scored goals in the Champions League,” he replied. “We scored four against Madrid, six against Monaco, four against Tottenham.
“The problem isn’t scoring goals, it’s conceding stupid goals. »
- Another record night for Haaland at five goals
- Man City beat Leipzig to reach quarter-finals
This is after Guardiola turned to those who sometimes mocked the absence of Phil Foden, or Kevin de Bruyne, or Riyad Mahrez, or anyone who wasn’t in his starting XI. on any given day, and why he plays four centre-backs, as he did on Tuesday night with John Stones and Nathan Ake filling the full-back spots.
“With the selection, if we win I’m right, if we lose I’m wrong,” he said.
“But I have a lot of information, even you [the media] do not have.
“Bernardo on the left side is amazing. Bernardo has the ability to squeeze three players in two moves. No player in the world can do that. He is so smart. Leipzig are very good on the left side. That’s why he played.
“I have more information than the Twitter guys. I’m sorry. Today I am right. I am right. »
Now Guardiola was on a roll. Anyone asking a question might forget to get a serious answer.
A journalist who spoke to Haaland and was told the Norwegian would have liked to stay on the pitch to try to become the first player to score six goals in a Champions League game understood this: “If he reached that milestone at age 22, his life would be boring. Now, he aims to do so in the future.
Which brings us to Roberts. The Pretty Woman star is part of the same agency as former Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho. His children are known to be big football fans.
In November 2016, she went to Old Trafford with her family to watch United play West Ham and was later photographed on the pitch.
Guardiola had been at City for five months at the time. He waited six and a half years to tell his story.
“I have three idols in my life,” he said. “Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and Julia Roberts.
“Julia Roberts came to Manchester years ago, not in the days of Alex Ferguson when they were winning title after title, in the last four or five years when we were better than them. But she didn’t come to see us. She left to visit Man United.
“Even if I win the Champions League, it will not be [ease] the disappointment of Julia Roberts going to United. My idol. »
I don’t think he was serious.
