Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola shared insights into his team’s performance and the midfielder Nico González’s injury update following their Champions League win over Villarreal on Tuesday night.
The Spanish coach confirmed that the young midfielder sustained a knock to his foot and expressed hope that the injury would not keep him out of action for long, particularly ahead of City’s upcoming Premier League clash with Aston Villa.
Gonzalez, who has recently stepped into the defensive midfield role in Rodri’s absence, has impressed Guardiola with his composure and adaptability.
However, his night in Villarreal was cut short after a heavy challenge from Thomas Partey forced him off midway through the second half.
Guardiola revealed that the club’s medical team would assess the extent of the injury before determining whether he could feature at the weekend.
“Nico had a knock on his feet, we will see,” Guardiola said after the match.
The City boss looked visibly concerned but stopped short of ruling the player out, suggesting that the issue might not be serious.
The midfielder’s early exit saw Mateo Kovacic introduced for the final 35 minutes of the contest, with the Croatian helping City maintain control as they held off Villarreal’s late push.
Guardiola’s side had built a comfortable two-goal lead in the first half, and despite missing chances to extend it, they were forced to withstand pressure in the closing stages.
Gianluigi Donnarumma made a stunning save to deny Pape Gueye before Renato Veiga struck the post as Villarreal pressed for a way back into the game.
Guardiola praised the overall performance but admitted that his team struggled to maintain the same rhythm and control after the interval.
He reiterated his philosophy of controlling matches through structured possession and intelligent positioning — aspects he felt City drifted away from in the latter stages.
Guardiola demands more control and energy
For Guardiola, the first-half display represented the style of football he has tirelessly built at Manchester City: positional dominance, calculated passing, and sharp transitions in the opponent’s half. However, he admitted frustration at how his players eased off after the break, allowing Villarreal to grow into the game.
“We always talk about the way you pass the ball. Always I tell them to see the movement of the opponent first. Then decide,” Guardiola explained in his post-match interview “The first half was really good. We brought the opponent there (deep) but in the second half? No.”
The Catalan manager specifically pointed to moments where his players retreated unnecessarily instead of sustaining pressure in Villarreal’s territory.
He called on his side to be braver with their passing and movement, urging them to rediscover the attacking precision that has defined their success in recent seasons.
“John Stones, Matheus, keeper, Gvardiol, Kovacic, keeper. This is not a positional game. Football is about the opponent’s half,” Guardiola said, reflecting on his team’s hesitancy.
“When we did that it was really good. We need more fresh movement for Erling and more runs in behind but it didn’t happen.”
The City manager highlighted moments in the second half when the team had the opportunity to break Villarreal’s lines but instead opted to recycle possession backwards. He viewed this as a missed opportunity to capitalize on the spaces created by Villarreal’s advancing midfielders.
“There are actions in the second half we are incredible and break the lines and still we go back. No. When the opponent comes you have to (bring them) close, break the lines, then left, right, middle. Now go, attack. You don’t have to wait,” he said, emphasizing his demand for more urgency and intent in attacking play.
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Despite the slight drop in intensity, Guardiola was quick to acknowledge the toll of a packed fixture schedule, particularly on key players like Erling Haaland.
The Norwegian forward scored one of City’s goals but appeared fatigued towards the end of the match. Guardiola said he could “excuse” Haaland’s tiredness, noting that the striker has carried a heavy workload in recent weeks.
City’s victory put them in a strong position, moving to seven points from three games. Also, the Nico González’s injury update given by Guardiola means that the midfielder could be available when City host Borussia Dortmund at the Etihad Stadium before the November international break — a fixture that could all but secure their place in the knockout stage.
