RIVALRY ON THE MENU FOR JULEN

BY

WOLVES boss Julen Lopetegui believes his old Barcelona team-mate Pep Guardiola was always destined for management.

But the Spaniard hopes to get one over his compatriot tomorrow and earn an invitation to his Manchester restaurant. Former Real Madrid coach Lopetegui has a restaurant of his own in the Spanish capital.

He and Manchester

City counterpart Guardiola (top) have plenty in common after playing for Barcelona in the 1990s under Johan Cruyff (left) and Sir Bobby Robson (below).

But tomorrow they will be rivals in a battle for three vital points to help their teams at opposite ends of the Premier League table.

Lopetegui, a former goalkeeper, said: “I was very lucky to have fantastic managers in Cruyff and Robson, with different qualities, a different way and different understanding of football. But in the same way they were fantastic coaches.

“There are maybe 10 coaches that played under them at Barcelona. Maybe they are key in our determination to become coaches.

“Johan Cruyff, for example, starts making our minds think about football in a different way.

“Bobby Robson was really smart about how to get the best out of his individual players.

“When I was a player, we might think, ‘Why are we doing this?’

“We were very critical with our coaches.

“It’s not easy for the coaches, it was a group of quality players.

“Now we understand more about them of course.

“But, sure, Pep always looked like a future coach. We talk and are friends. I can try his restaurant maybe, why not.

“I would like his wine – lots of it. I have a restaurant in Madrid too.

“But I’m not thinking about Pep now, I’m thinking about my team and my job, only this.”