{"id":42806,"date":"2025-04-23T03:38:11","date_gmt":"2025-04-23T03:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/42806\/"},"modified":"2025-04-23T03:38:11","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T03:38:11","slug":"pep-guardiola-revels-in-high-pressure-win-over-aston-villa-and-insists-he-has-not-forgotten-man-city-player-with-huge-personality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/42806\/","title":{"rendered":"Pep Guardiola revels in high-pressure win over Aston Villa and insists he ‘has not forgotten’ Man City player with ‘huge personality’"},"content":{"rendered":"

By JACK GAUGHAN<\/a> <\/p>\n

Published: 19:03 EDT, 22 April 2025 | Updated: 19:29 EDT, 22 April 2025 <\/p>\n

Pep Guardiola<\/a> hailed Manchester City<\/a>\u2019s ability to embrace pressure after they took charge of the Champions League<\/a> race.<\/p>\n

Matheus Nunes scored a dramatic 94th-minute winner to beat Aston Villa<\/a> and go into third in the Premier League<\/a> with four games remaining.<\/p>\n

Guardiola was visibly emotional after the 2-1 victory \u2013 and claimed that their performances turned during the FA Cup<\/a> win at Bournemouth<\/a> as City stretched their unbeaten run to seven games ahead of Sunday\u2019s semi-final against Nottingham Forest<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018Football is emotion,\u2019 Guardiola said. \u2018For the fans, players, we have a lot of pressure for the club to go to the Champions League.<\/p>\n

\u2018The players behave unbelievable – we are so pleased. Of course it was important. You don\u2019t need to be a scientist to realise.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘I saw Villa\u2019s games against Newcastle, PSG<\/a>, their top form. We performed like we were in the past with the commitment. We controlled most of the game.<\/p>\n

\"Pep <\/p>\n

Pep Guardiola celebrated wildly when Man City scored their 94th minute winner against Villa<\/p>\n

\"Bernardo <\/p>\n

Bernardo Silva scored the opener and was singled out for special praise from his manager<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The Catalan manager was delighted by his side’s ability to perform under high pressure<\/p>\n

\u2018The Bournemouth game changed something and made us realise we are not miles away. Look at today how everybody moved, we were so aggressive.<\/p>\n

\u2018We need it in the semi-final, I\u2019ve been incredibly impressed with Forest and how they defend every ball like it\u2019s the last ball of their lives. This is talent. We focus on the last four games, if we win them then we will be there.\u2019<\/p>\n

Guardiola also backed the supporters who chose to protest against ticket prices and general admission issues. Hundreds gathered outside the stadium an hour before kick-off, with the cheapest available adult ticket \u00a371.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019m in the side of the people,\u2019 he added. \u2018I understand. The clubs are alive when fans can express [themselves]. Who am I to say it\u2019s right or wrong? When I go to the theatre or the cinema, I pay and want to see something I like.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘Of course we want a full stadium every time. The club is open when there are disagreements.\u2019<\/p>\n

The Catalan also praised goalscorer Bernardo Silva, who has been criticised for his displays this year.<\/p>\n

\u2018I don’t forget Bernardo, what he has done for us this season,\u2019 Guardiola said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘He didn’t play much the last minutes but I don’t forget December to March when we didn’t win one single game and he was there every single time running kilometres playing 30 positions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018There was a moment when he was empty but Bernardo for important games has an incredibly huge personality.\u2019<\/p>\n

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