Read every word from the broadcast section of Iraola's press conference here.
**Mark McAdam (Sky Sports News): I guess we'll start with the big news that's happened over the course of the last few days. The club has confirmed that Dean Huijsen is going to leave at the end of the season and join Real Madrid.**
**Can you just talk us through what's happened over the last few days and weeks from your perspective? Because obviously you're losing a really important player. But the key thing is he wants to stay and do the rest of the season.**
Andoni Iraola: Yes, I think for someone that is just 20, I think he has managed these situations quite well. I haven't noticed anything in training. He's the first one that wants to finish well this season.
He's pushing and he's ready to play these two games. Obviously, from my side, you never want to lose this kind of player because he has been very good for us. But there is a part also that you feel happy for him because he goes to Real Madrid, I think it’s what he really wanted to do.
And obviously we hope everything goes well for him after these two games. And I think it has been quite natural. He hasn't lost any training sessions.
Everyone also has, I think, acted quite natural. And obviously for the club there was a chance that this could happen. And also it gives the club time now in the market also to prepare for next season.
And that's overall the feeling we have.
**MM: What does it say about Dean, the fact that he wants to finish the season and play for Bournemouth? He's got this huge move to one of the biggest clubs in the world, but he wants to finish the job properly.**
**What does that say about his character and mentality, particularly when, as you know, you get injured, it can change things.**
AI: I think it was never a doubt. There is a part where he's a professional and he has to perform and train and commit to Bournemouth until the last day.
But I think he's the first one that if you give him the chance, he has no doubts, he wants to play. He's pushing to start tomorrow, to finish strong, to finish as high as we can in the standings.
And I have no doubts.
**MM: And you, of course, know La Liga inside out. You played in it, you're coached in it, you understand it, you know the rigours and the expectations on a club like Real Madrid.**
**Do you think Dean's got the qualities to go into that massive club and show all the things he's done here at Bournemouth on that level, on that stage, under that pressure.**
AI: Yeah, I have no doubt that he's ready for this jump. Real Madrid is probably the biggest club in the world, or one of the biggest, but I think he has the level.
He has the level and not only in the football side, also the maturity, the confidence in himself to go there and perform. Obviously he knows he will have a big competitions to play but I trust him a lot and I think he's going to be very good for Real Madrid.
**MM: How much pride do you take and your coaching staff take because you brought in a young player and paid 12, 13 million pounds and in nine months turned him into 50. What does that say about the setup, the club and what you've done on the grass with your staff?**
AI: Obviously you feel proud. No, but it's not like we received a player that was not very good and then after one season, he has been amazing and we've improved him massively. No, when he came here day one, he was very good already.
It's true that we've helped him in the process of discovering the Premier League and professional football because he did have very few minutes at a high level and it has been and pleasure for us to help him in this process and we are sure that he's going to continue this development. He's going to become even better.
**MM: And finally on this subject, I guess the challenge you now have with Tiago and Simon is can you find another Dean Huijsen, how do you replace someone of his quality?**
AI: No, probably we will not find the same player.
We will have to find other players. At least the signing has been very, very early, even without starting the market. I would say it's a little bit strange in this situation, but gives the club time to prepare for next season and we will have to focus on the positive side. We are losing a hell of a player, but we have time also to prepare for next season.
**MM: Up next, Man City. What's the Bournemouth team news? Have you got any doubts, any question marks or any players coming back?**
AI: No, no more or less you know the ones that are out for the season, obviously we have Alex Scott after the other day and the ones we didn't have against Villa.
Now we are going to finish pretty thin. We will need some young players on the squad and I think that's it.
**MM: Did you watch the FA Cup final at the weekend? Was it was it a moment for you to make notes and laptops data, work out a game plan? What did you think?**
AI: Yeah, obviously there was a part of us that we were watching the game because our chances to play in Europe were very affected by the result of the competition.
There is a part where you are preparing to play against City. I think the approach from City is going to be different or has been different against us, and probably the game will be different from how the game developed against Palace. But also, even if it means we have less chances not to qualify for Europe, I think we have to congratulate Palace because a team that is not probably the six, eight teams that normally are fighting for titles, winning a title like the FA Cup, I think is good overall for the league and for football.
**MM: And just finally from me, how do you see the race for Europe now? It seems quite amazing that Bournemouth had this brilliant season, but you're currently in 11th, which perhaps doesn't reflect how good this campaign has been. Does it feel like you need to get eighth now? You have to win your last two games, otherwise you won't get European football?**
AI: No, I think we have now very reduced options to play in Europe, I think it’s I don't know if anecdotal, but you need I don't know how many results to go your way. But from all those results, I think the most difficult one is ours because we are playing away against City in a game where they are in need to play for Champions League.
So it's not the scenario that you want, but it's the one we have right now and we have to try to go there and play our game. But it's true that after the FA Cup final, the chances to get Europe are very limited.
**Paul Belverstone (Premier League Productions): With Alex Scott, how long does a fractured jaw keep you out?**
AI: With Alex, we really don't know.
I think he has gone already to this place where they design a mask with everything so he can, let's say, take the risks. It will depend how comfortable he is with this. I think the surgery went really well and he looks good, apparently, and he's doing stuff.
But it will depend on the mask. If he feels comfortable with the mask, if it’s positive to accept the risk or the chances of another hit, but I think it has gone quite well.
But definitely cannot play tomorrow. I don't know, probably thinking in the Euros and this, I think he would have a chance with the mask and I think he's positive.
**PB: Presumably it affects him eating and everyday life. I mean, what sort of shape was he in the days after it happened?**
AI: No, now Alex is in a place where he has to eat with a straw.
You know, it's like this. I don't know for how much time, but yes, it's a big thing.
It's a surgery in the jaw. But I think it's a matter of days, you know, I suppose after the surgery and after he will be fine, but he's quite positive.
I've talked to him and now I think he tried already the mask and he sees that he could be able to play and we'll see, I hope he can play.
**PB: Sorry. When could he play?**
AI: I don't know. I don't really know. Definitely not tomorrow. I see almost impossible he plays Sunday. I don't want to rule him out. I don't know, because he tries the mask, everything, but I think it's going to be very difficult. Yes.
**PB: Is he pushing you? He's saying he wants to play?**
AI: He wants to, he wants to.
He's brave and yes, I haven't seen him very scared and it's good.
It's a good sign because it means that he's positive and we'll see. When he hasn't even trained, he hasn't done anything.
But I think he at least has a good mood and is optimistic.
**PB: That's good to hear. The overall situation with his injury and a number of others.**
**Does it leave you in a similar position to the FA Cup game against City where you don't have many game changers on the bench?**
AI: Yes, probably now we have a lot of defensive players and probably if you are winning a game, you can have good subs, but in the opposite situations where you probably need a more offensive sub and this we've lost with Alex, with Dango, with Sini, with Enes and Christie, players that are very, very important for us and they leave us without a lot of especially offensive options on the bench.
And we will have to think very well. No, we are trying to not only think in starting 11, the possible changes to finish the game.
And we'll see if we can finish the game better than that game against City, where I think we struggled to finish the last 20, 25 minutes, especially.
**PB: Their last two games, City, against Palace and Southampton, they've had nearly 50 shots but very few of them on target. You mentioned it's going to be a very different game.**
**Palace and Southampon set up very differently to you, but in those games have you seen bits that you can knit into your approach tomorrow or are they too different?**
AI: I feel like they are two games that if they repeat these games, nine times out of ten they win those games. You know, you need your keeper to save a penalty, for them to hit the post, the offside goal, you know the 50/50 situations to go to your side.
I think as you said they had like 50, 50 something shots in two games. I would be very happy if we win like this also. But normally in those scenarios I think they win most of the games and to win or to get a result against City away, you need some of these things to happen.
You need your keeper to be amazing, you need their forwards probably to not to have their best day. But we have to do a hell of a job after this. You have to do a hell of a job and then some things have to happen to your side.
Like we saw against Arsenal. You have to score the set play, you have to score things that you have to get very, very good. But it starts of doing a very good job and keeping the game alive.
**PB: You did so many of those things in the game at home and it's easy to forget because they haven't been the all-conquering team this season in the end as they have in previous seasons. But back then they were on a 30, 35 game unbeaten streak in the Premier League. That win, can you remember it having, you’ve won so many big games, but that one did it have a particularly big impact on the club and players?**
AI: That one was for me a big one because it was November and they hadn't lost a game in the Premier league all year, 2024.
So we are talking about a lot of months without losing a game. So it meant like something big for us. I suppose for them it was opposite.
But even playing at our very best, highest level. I remember one post that Haaland hit at the end. So you need certain things to happen to your side.
I think especially they are in a moment since we played them in the cup where they are even playing better, they are pressing better, they are allowing opposition teams basically nothing on the ball. They are if you see the possession stats where they play for the last two months, they don't give you anything.
You have to be very patient mentally, very ready to suffer because no one is having a lot of chances, no one is having the ball against them and I think I felt these last two months they are really pushing to finish well.
**PB: You'll be looking to spoil Kevin de Bruyne's last home game. His farewell to the Etihad. Thinking back over his career, have there been moments where you remember seeing him and he's taking your breath away?**
AI: Kevin de Bruyne has been one of the best players of the last decade, I would say, not in the Premier League, overall in football, it's a pleasure to be there in his last game at the Etihad. But we want to be just not like the guests that you have there. So someone has to be there in front and they play the game they want.
No, we have to go with everything. We have to make them uncomfortable. But it's obvious, whatever happens, we will be the first ones to congratulate him for everything he has done.
And I'm sure it's going to be a great, great night for him.