Pep Guardiola explains why he got angry with Kevin De Bruyne

Pep Guardiola explains why he got angry with Kevin De Bruyne

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City thrashed Madrid but Pep, ever the perfectionist, had complaints

Pep Guardiola was still critical of his side after the 4-0 win over Real Madrid. It sounds paradoxical but the Catalan coach regretted some of his team's mistakes in the second half after the first had been a real recital.

"In the second half we were very hasty. As soon as Gündogan went out, he lost a ball, Kevin made three transitions that weren't necessary and we accelerated a lot when we had to do the opposite, to put them down and turn them around a lot. That's why we weren't so good," he told Movistar+.

Nevertheless, Pep appreciated a great victory that allows them to shake off the thorn of the 2022 semi-final elimination. "We've played with last year's bellyache and we've taken it out. These games have to be played with great intensity, and I'm very happy to be in the final."

The key to yesterday? Tactics. "In the first leg I decided to put an inside player further back and today we decided to put him further forward and that gave us more fluidity. We were very good afterwards," added the man from Santpedor. 

Praise for Rodri 

Guardiola, when questioned about Rodri, could not hold back his praise for the Spaniard. "Without him we wouldn't have done it, he's become the best midfielder. He's been imperial, in everything. People talk about Erling and it's logical, he deserves it, but without Rodri it wouldn't have been possible. His presence is very important. We are very happy," he said.

Now comes Inter in the final, although he avoided feeling favourites and postponed the assessment. "We'll have time to prepare. Now first comes the Premier League and then the finals, first the FA and then the Champions League," he concluded.

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