Guardiola Urges Christmas COVID-19 Precautions at Man City

Pep Guardiola. (AP)
Pep Guardiola. (AP)
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Guardiola Urges Christmas COVID-19 Precautions at Man City

Pep Guardiola. (AP)
Pep Guardiola. (AP)

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has asked his players to take all the necessary precautions during Christmas celebrations with their friends and families to avoid a COVID-19 outbreak at the Premier League club.

Fellow Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur had a second match postponed this week after the league agreed to call off Sunday's game at Brighton & Hove Albion due to a number of COVID-19 cases.

Spurs also had their Europa Conference League game against Stade Rennais called off by UEFA after the club said they had 13 positive cases - eight players and five members of staff.

Leicester City were without several players for their Europa League game at Napoli on Thursday due to COVID-19, and Guardiola said he hoped to avoid a similar situation at his side, calling on his players to be vigilant.

"They know they have to be careful, be at home as much as possible. When they go out, social distance and wear a mask. Look at the statistics, the rules from the government. It's still there... and there are setbacks," Guardiola said.

The Spanish manager, whose mother died due to COVID-19 last year, said leaders City cancelled plans for a Christmas party.

"You have to protect yourself, because at Christmas time there's a tendency for more parties, going out more often," added Guardiola, whose side take on Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

"Everyone at home organizes a party with family and kids. They're going to do it. We're not going to say don't do it, but be careful. The risk is high.

"Look at what happened at Tottenham and Leicester. It can happen here as well, if we don't pay attention. That's a big problem for them, for their health and family, but of course, the team."



Real Boss Ancelotti Rues Missed Chances in 4-0 Loss against Barca

 Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti looks from the bench before a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP)
Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti looks from the bench before a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP)
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Real Boss Ancelotti Rues Missed Chances in 4-0 Loss against Barca

 Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti looks from the bench before a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP)
Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti looks from the bench before a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP)

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti lamented his side's missed opportunities in their stunning 4-0 home defeat to bitter rivals Barcelona in a LaLiga Clasico on Saturday but said it was not all doom and gloom despite the result.

"It was an evenly played match, until they scored their first goal. We played with intensity in the first half but lacked a bit of accuracy. We had chances to take the lead but they scored two goals, which sapped our energy. That's when another game started," Ancelotti told a press conference of Robert Lewandowski's quick-fire double early in the second-half to set the LaLiga leaders Barca on course for a 4-0 thrashing.

Prior to that, the home side had dominated possession and missed various chances, mainly through off-form Kylian Mbappe. Lamine Yamal and Raphinha wrapped Barca's win later.

"We are hurt, it's a tough moment, but I want to thank the fans for their support. We don't have to throw everything away, because there is nothing to throw away," added a downhearted Ancelotti.

"We have to forget the last 30 minutes. The season is very long, we must not give up. We have to learn from it. It's time to bounce back. The season is long. We must not throw everything away. The team can do better and we will."

Ancelotti said he thinks Real Madrid deserved better and that he didn't believe the result told the true story of the match, but acknowledged that his team paid the price for missing so many chances.

"The result doesn't reflect what happened on the pitch. We couldn't take the lead and they went ahead and took it. The game, until the first goal, was very even and we had more chances," Ancelotti said, before commenting on Mbappe's lackluster performance, being caught offside nine times.

"It was known that Barca use a high defense and we barely took advantage of it. (Mbappe) had chances and sometimes was offside, but he had three or four chances where he needed to be more accurate..."

Barca stretched their lead at the top with 30 points, six above Real who saw their 42-game unbeaten LaLiga run come to a bitter end after 13 months, leaving them one tantalizing positive result away from equaling the Catalans' league record of 43.