‘We are twins in our will to win’

PEP GUARDIOLA says he is as obsessed about winning as Jose Mourinho – he just goes about it in a different way.

Guardiola finished empty-handed for the first time in his coaching career last season, after 21 trophies in seven years with Barcelona and Bayern Munich – compared with the 25 that Mourinho has lifted in 17 years.

But he wants to put that right this time around, claiming he wants success every bit as much as Mourinho.

“Definitely,” he said. “In that, we are twins. They want to win trophies, we want to win trophies.

“Antonio Conte is the same as well, and Jurgen Klopp and Mauricio Pochettino, and in all the leagues around the world, the managers are there.

“I never criticise my colleagues for the way they play. I never did in the past, I will never do it.

“Football is magnificent for that because every manager plays in the way they play. There are different ways to enjoy football. It’s simple like that.”

And Guardiola insists he has not been playing mind games with Mourinho over David Silva’s fitness.

Silva has been cleared to play tomorrow having been a doubt with a muscle problem.

The midfielder missed Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat by Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League, having complained of “feeling uncomfortable” after scoring the winner against West Ham last Sunday.

Mourinho claimed the whole episode was a smokescreen and that Silva was always destined to play in the derby.

But Guardiola said: “At the beginning of the week there was a big doubt about him playing. That’s why I said what I said. But he said he is really good, so he is going to play.”