Pep Guardiola has responded to the comments he received following his criticism of the pitch at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Additionally, the Manchester City manager brought good news at the press conference ahead of the match against Real Madrid: Kyle Walker is available for the Champions League return leg.
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After the first leg in Madrid, there was a discussion about the Bernabéu. Guardiola mentioned that he found the pitch in the stadium to be of poor quality, which stirred some controversy.
'Indeed, I did talk about the condition of the pitch, but with the best intentions. What they do with it is their decision. You can believe what you want when I say that, I have to respect that.'
Besides the pitch, there was also a brief discussion about the rivalry Guardiola might feel towards Real. On Wednesday, the Spanish manager will face Carlo Ancelotti, a coach he has often opposed. 'We would have preferred a bit more time to prepare, but it's about making the right decisions. We want to find a way to surprise Ancelotti, just as we did in the first leg.'
Return of Walker
Guardiola can count on Walker again against Real Madrid. The right-back missed the first leg in Madrid due to a groin injury, but returned to City's squad last weekend. The Englishman remained on the bench for the entire match against Luton Town (5-1), and fortunately for The Citizens, that won't have to be the case on Wednesday.
'We'll see in training. He has had one or two sessions, but he's feeling good. I don't know if we'll start him from the beginning or off the bench, but he will be there tomorrow,' said Guardiola, who then highlighted the importance of the right-back's presence. 'It's really great news. He has played as a captain in recent years against players like Vinícius and Mbappé. He knows better than anyone how to stop them.'
