Guardiola has also experimented with Yaya Toure and Xabi Alonso as defenders in his time in Spain and Germany so it seems to be a relatively common trend.
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Dortmund have added well to their attacking threat and will be desperate to finish closer to Bayern Munich, while this is Manchester City’s first campaign under new manager Pep Guardiola.
According to Guardiola, Fernandinho is versatile enough to play in any number of positions but would be particularly conducive to a defensive role.
“He said if he could play 11 midfielders, he would play them”.
“But we need to have a good build-up to create easy passes in the midfield so they can create good passes for the strikers”. We think he can play there – maybe Fernando too but he’s not as quick. I know because I’ve been playing football for a long time.
“They are looking for hotels, inviting players, but at the end, if the pitch is not good enough, all that doesn’t matter”.
Guardiola underlined that he wants his players to be at top physical condition after Gael Clichy had said that the Spaniard banned overweight players from first-team training.
Concerns over 30 year-old Vincent Kompany’s fitness remain with the Belgian captain becoming increasing injury-prone during recent seasons.
The Toffees now face Dynamo Dresden on Friday and Real Betis on Saturday as they ramp up their preparation for the new Premier League season. “That’s why I want my players absolutely fit”. They have to choose themselves. “So if there is a problem with the trainer, he has to come to me”. I don’t like to do it, because I have only been here a month, so they must decide.
Just like last season, the Stones saga is beginning to drag on a bit and manager Ronald Koeman will want his future resolved one way or the other as soon as possible. We try to organise.
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“We’ll adjust and do it. Today we played one of the best teams in Europe by far”.
