The pair played together at Camp Nou during the mid to late 1990s in which they won two Spanish Super Cups, but on Sunday Lopetegui face off against Guardiola, who he has described as ‘one of the best coaches in the history of football’, from the dugouts in the top-flight of English football. But the Wolves head coach insists his side are focused on their own strengths and will give their all in an attempt to bring all three points back from the Etihad Stadium.
On bouncing back from FA Cup disappointment
“It was not enough. Maybe we deserved more, but this is football and it’s not about what you deserve, it’s about scoring goals, which we didn’t do, and we lost our possibility to go ahead in the FA Cup.
“That was a pity, but this is the past. Now in front of us is the Premier League and a fantastic match which we have to be focused on.”
Listening to Lopetegui.
— Wolves (@Wolves) January 20, 2023
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On facing Man City
“All the matches in the Premier League are very hard matches, but in the same way, we are talking about City. This is not just now, it’s for the last eight or 10 years that they are one of the best teams in the world.
“We have to be ready, but at the same time, we have the illusion to compete and to be able to do our best. This is our aim, to do our best in each moment on the pitch and to be focused in our work.
“Of course, we are aware of the strengths of the opponent, but we prefer to look at our strengths and try to show them in what will be a very hard match. We are talking about the best players in the world and one of the best coaches in history. But in the same way, we have a big illusion.”
On facing Guardiola
“We have played together when we were both young, and I know a lot about him, and he knows a lot about me. We are talking about undoubtedly one of the best coaches in the history of football, but we have a big illusion in the same way, and we are focusing on our own strengths.”
On dealing with Erling Haaland
“When you are talking about Manchester City, you cannot have a plan for one player because all of the players of Manchester City can damage you. You have to try to work together in a good way, but as a team. After, they have fantastic individual solutions, and collection solutions, because they have both.
“But we don’t put the focus only on one player because they have big players in all the positions, so I prefer to be aware of our strengths and to put the focus in our way to play and to be able to do well against a big team.”
On keeping a level head
“I repeat a lot that it’s going to be a very hard and long race until the last minute. This is my feeling and I’m sure that I will be right, so we have to be ready to arrive until this moment strong.
“Sometimes we are going to win, sometimes we are going to lose, but we have to be balanced in each moment because, for me, it’s going to be key to keep this mentality in the last months.
“Now we have a fantastic team against us, that’s Manchester City, and we know they are one of the best teams in the world, with some of the best players in the world, with one of the best coaches in the world, but we have the illusion and ambition to go there to play well and to be able to have any positive things. This is our focus and each match, each moment, with 100 per cent of our energy.”
