MENDILIBAR: "WE'VE COME HERE TO WIN"

José Luis Mendilibar spoke alongside Nemanja Gudelj and Lucas Ocampos at the UEFA Super Cup pre-match press conference:

The Basque coach began by stating that "changing the way you play in three days to play against the best team in Europe would be disrupting a lot of what we do, in my opinion. The idea is to have an identity as a team and stick to it on the pitch. We have to be brave enough to stick to what we want to do. If we change anything, it's likely to be worse than what we're doing."

Asked about the similarities with the final in Budapest, he believes that "this is coming a round much faster, we've had fewer matches, the squad for the season isn't completely confirmed, the season's just started... It catches you more off guard, but we have the same excitement and we're looking forward to it."

"The team that will play won't be too dissimilar to the ones that faced such important matches last season. Although everything is half done, the team won't change too much and we'll be the same as at the end of last season."

The idea of the transfer window not closing until after the season has started isn't something that Mendilibar is keen on: "The problem isn't ours, it's those who organise the whole thing and the competitions get underway before the squads have been finalised. It's hard to understand that the competition has just started and that there can be transfers for three weeks or so under these conditions. It is what it is, we have to play under these conditions and there is no way around it. I don't understand why those who organise this don't put an end to this situation, but all we have to do is prepare and play and that's what we'll do."

"The players tell me what they think and how they feel. The most exciting thing right now is the Final, not the contract that might come their way. They are focused and want to play tomorrow. I don't know what they want after tomorrow, but they want to play tomorrow and we're going to take advantage of that."

"I am convinced that we will be bold and fearless"

Mendilibar doesn't have the best record against Guardiola, but he's not worried: "Some people here will tell you that I don't look at the stats very much, in every sense of the word. It's a match that has nothing to do with all the ones I've played against Guardiola, with me at some teams and him at others. We haven't played in a final until now, we're here, we can beat them, we're excited and I think we can do it. I'm convinced that we're going to be bold and fearless, we'll try to play our way and I think we're going to make it difficult for them. We'll see what happens afterwards. Arsenal's stats were surely worse too and they beat them the other day."

The coach doesn't believe that City's injuries will make too much of a difference: "They have spent more than 500 million on just goalkeepers and defenders. I don't think they're complaining about missing players. They can complain that there are a lot of games and that's true, but if we complain, everyone says that's why we get paid so much and it seems that we have to keep our heads down. They don't give us a say and those who organise all this will be quiet in their offices. That's the way it is."

He then commented on City's style of play: "They want to have the ball but they want to score. It's going to be difficult because they may be the best team in Europe at the moment, but they've struggled in other games and we want to be brave, we want to get close to their goal and what we have to do is try to win the ball back high up the pitch. They're going to make it difficult for us for sure, but it's going to be a long game for both of us and we have to be mentally strong. Physically we'll be ok, but mentally we'll have to hold on and be patient."

As for the transfer window, he stated that "three days ago we were calm. For the past two days it looks like there are going to be movements. What I want is for them to at least leave me as I am. I imagine that this could be the case."

He also spoke about Fernando's last-minute virus: "He is unwell, we are seeing if he can get better and travel tonight, but he is unlikely to be able to play even if he travels. Let's see what the doctors who are there with him say and what he says, which is the most important thing."

To finish, he commented that "both teams have that responsibility. It's clear who the favourites are and you'll see it at the bookmakers. You only have to look at the number, but a lot of things can happen in 90 minutes and they lost the Community Shield against Arsenal. We'll think that they can also lose this one. We've come here to win."