Pep Guardiola and Laporte were in charge of appearing before the media in the preview of the quarterfinals of the Champions League against Lyon. Both were confident of achieving the goal and, why not, of getting the continental title for the club. This is how the Spanish coach analyzed the tie:
Silva: “He's absolutely prepared. The way he trains, his personality … It's a shame that his last Etihad game was without people, but he will come back. When people can be there, he will get what he deserves. He decided since the beginning of the season I wanted to live a new experience “.
A strange Champions: “Anything can happen. It is a different competition, each game is a final and we are ready to do our best to move on to the next round.”
To go the whole hog: “The pressure is always there. We will try to do our best like the rest of the teams. We already saw how tight the previous two games were and tomorrow will not be the exception. It is a final. We will try to avoid mistakes so that they do not punish us” .
Omen: “He is still in Barcelona. If he were to come here, he would have to take a test. He continues in Barcelona making progress in his recovery.”
The evolution of City: “Every year the club is growing. Not only in the results but in everything, as an organization. The club works every day to obtain results, to be sustainable and solid in the future. The results help that to grow. The elite will always be here: Madrid, Barça, Bayern … In the qualifiers it can happen. It is difficult to beat the big teams if you are not at home, but in a match anything can happen “.
Real Madrid: “Of course it was important to beat the kings of this competition. But when you play just one game in the Champions League, anything can happen.”
90 minutes: “It's very different. When you play the first leg, you have an eye on the second leg. When we play FA Cup or Carabao we are used to it. There are no second chances, you are in or out. The approach is very different.”
Ready for glory: “I would like to tell you what will happen tomorrow, but all I can say is that we are prepared. I am proud of how these two or three weeks have been. Since the confinement they have been incredibly focused. We are adapting every day to the new protocols Now we are here. We eat well, we drink good wine here in Portugal and tomorrow is the time to show that we are ourselves. I want to see my team be who they are, do everything they have in their soul, in their mind and after that football will dictate if we deserve it. “
The Lisbon bubble: “It is similar to the Premier League, not very different. The restrictions, the controls. The difference is in the hotel, but at home we are in our homes. The games are similar.”
Concentration: “It is always difficult to see maturity because against Madrid we are mature, when we lost to Tottenham by an inch we weren't. I don't see my players that way. I hope that in 90 minutes we will suffer, control, attack, defend. Many circumstances. The team is ready to do it. “
Laporte: “There have been surprises with this format …”
objective: “We want to focus on doing well. Hopefully we can win tomorrow. We are ready and we want to win this competition. Tomorrow we have to fight for victory.”
Lyon: “We know they are a very tough opponent, like the other teams. They have very good players. We have to focus on ourselves to fight to the end and try to win the game.”
Would the Champions make City stronger?: “Of course it would be huge for the club. Let's get it done.”
A new Champions: “There were surprises with this format. There are teams that on paper seemed inferior and that qualified through thick and thin, hurting the greats. We have to be focused on our game to show it. Tomorrow we will see what we are capable of. We have to be careful. Last year we couldn't beat Lyon. “