The Argentine goalkeeper says ‘the players are listening’ to the constant speculation surrounding Manuel Pellegrini’s future, while also praising City fans for their support
Manchester City goalkeeper Willy Caballero says he and his team-mates are aware of the constant rumours linking the club with a move for Pep Guardiola.
Goal understands Bayern Munich coach Guardiola will indeed replace Manuel Pellegrini at the Etihad Stadium this summer.
But while Caballero says the stories have penetrated the City dressing room, he insists the pressure of playing for a big club makes everything else irrelevant.
“We are listening to all the rumours, but in a big team like this it’s normal,” he told reporters. “For all the players every season the pressure is so high, I think we are doing our best every game, the rumours don’t matter.
“It’s not easy to talk about Guardiola because he’s not here, but if [Pellegrini] stays here all the players, for sure, will wish to stay with Manuel, every game.”
Caballero helped City reach the League Cup final on Wednesday as the Blues came from behind to beat Everton on a night when the Etihad Stadium welcomed a raucous crowd of over 50,000.
The club had been criticised for enlisting players to help sell tickets in the build-up to the clash, but the Argentine keeper says City’s progression to the Wembley final owes an awful lot to the atmosphere generated by the fans in attendance.
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“I think [it had] so much, so much importance. We talked before on social media about this. We heard all the fans together from the first minute and it was really important for us to win this game.”
The former Malaga shot-stopper is expected to keep his place in goal for Saturday’s FA Cup clash against Aston Villa, and he says he will be completely focused on helping the team advance in yet another competition.
“Maybe if the boss decides that I have to play, I’ll be ready,” he added. “It’s important for me, every match in the Capital One or FA Cup. I have to be ready, and maybe if the boss needs me for the Premier League [too].
“We need to win the next game and of course we need to win everything this year, but the most important thing is that we are in the first final and now we must think about the next game.”