Tomorrow, Wembley, 3pm
PEP GUARDIOLA is convinced Maurizio Sarri will turn Chelsea into title contenders after a dinner date with the Italian.
The Manchester City boss is a huge admirer of the work Sarri did at Napoli as they finished runners-up to Juventus in Serie A playing in an attacking and entertaining style similar to Guardiola’s own philosophy.
Former AC Milan and Italy boss Arrigo Sacchi arranged the meet up in Milan in June as Guardiola was intrigued by a coach who came into the professional game late after giving up his career as a banker.
The City boss described his side’s entertaining Champions League group games against Napoli last season – which they won 2-1 at home and 4-2 away – as a true test of their progress.
But he was hugely impressed by Sarri and is in no doubt he can make a similar impact at Stamford Bridge.
The two men go head-to-head again in the Community Shield at Wembley tomorrow.
And Guardiola insists he will be watching Chelsea closely this season to learn from Sarri, who he says has already imposed his style on the players he inherited from Antonio Conte.
Happy
“Sacchi invited us out to dinner,” said Guardiola.
“We went out in Italy and Sacchi paid for the meal.
“First of all I’m happy that a manager like that is here. I will learn a lot and see him every weekend. Last season it was more complicated to see him. “We are going to improve because of his ideas, I’ve seen three games Chelsea have played in pre-season and in a short time they are already playing like he wants. “He needs more time but his ideas are already there.
“If his work is unfinished at the moment you have to say Sarri is the best by far to get them playing like this. He will do it, his team will get playing the way he wants. I think he will be perfect for English football.
“Chelsea will be a big rival, they always are. They have won a lot of titles and with managers like Mourinho, Ancelotti, Di Matteo and Conte, Chelsea have always been tough.
“Now with Sarri they will be tough too.”
Guardiola’s dinner date with Sarri didn’t help him win the battle to sign Napoli midfielder and long-term target Jorginho, though.
The midfielder led City to believe he would sign but then decided to follow his ex-manager to Stamford Bridge instead.
But Guardiola is glad the Brazilborn Italy international didn’t move to the Etihad, because his heart was clearly not in it.
It was a second transfer slap in the face for the champions after their abortive pursuit of Alexis Sanchez in the January window when the Chilean made a U-turn and decided to move to neighbours Manchester United.
“Yes, we were close but in the end Jorginho decided to stay with Sarri,” Guardiola added.
“I want players who want to come here. He didn’t want that.
“Maybe it was a bit late to announce that but if you don’t want to come, don’t come.
“The blow would be to come here when he prefers Chelsea, nobody put it in his head to come. We were so close, we believed it was done but at the last turn he decided on Chelsea, like Alexis with United.
“Every player has his own abilities. We have Douglas (Luiz).
“There are other players but the transfer window is nearly done and we’ll decide in five or six days.”