Pep Guardiola, Manchester City Manager
Pep Guardiola’s dream of capturing the Champions League with Manchester City was dashed last season after they suffered a defeat to Liverpool in the quarter-finals.
While the City boss experienced a minor setback with a loss to Lyon in their opening Champions League match for this season, they were able to make a stunning comeback against Hoffenheim.
Along with Carlo Ancelotti and Arrigo Sacchi, the former Barcelona boss took part in a colloquium for La Gazzetta dello Sport called ‘La bellezza del calcio raccontata dai maestri (the beauty of football explained by the masters).’
During the event, the 47-year-old Spaniard spoke about City’s Champions League campaign and his top three picks to lift the title this season (via Reddit and thanks to translations from Gazzetta, Marca and Sport).
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“[City a favourite for the Champions League?] We’ll have to be really good if they say so… I don’t know if we’re ready, we don’t have a history behind us,” he said.
“I’m talking about clubs and fans. As a club, our greatest success has been a semi-final. Milan, who will soon be back in the Champions League, knows what it means to win in this competition.
“The favourites are the teams that have history and tradition: Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus, which is closer each time and has now also bought Cristiano Ronaldo. Then there’s Atlético [Madrid] who plays at home and then there’ll be others: I hope we can be there.
“Football in England is very good. Germany likes football a lot, but during the week there is a lot more. You aren’t always talking about the sport. In Latin countries, it is undoubtedly different. When you travel you realise the cultural differences.”
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It wasn’t all serious talk from Guardiola, though. When he was asked what he would like to take from the Napoli boss, he responded in the most perfect way possible.
“The hair!” he said, before adding: “But also would [take] Arrigo! Joking aside, football goes in cycles.
“When you talk to his players, you only get positive feedback. Not only as a coach, but also as a man.”
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