Brugge boss keen to pick Pep’s brain after Euro clashes
CLUB Brugge coach Philippe Clement would love to pick Pep Guardiola’s brain – but accepts he may have to wait until after their Champions League campaign.
The two managers will be rivals over the next few weeks as the Belgian champions take on the Blues home and away in Group A.
The first of those encounters comes at the Jan Breydel Stadium tonight and, with his side having slipped to third in the group, the City boss is unlikely to want to give much away.
Asked if two-time Champions League winner Guardiola was an inspiration to him, Clement said: “Of course he is. I have already indicated as much in many interviews.
“I like the way he makes his teams play and has done at different clubs.
“Maybe at some other point I will talk to him and I will also talk to him privately after the game.
“I would really like to pay a visit to Manchester City to see how they go about their tracking of the players and how they coach them, but that is not something I would do prior to a Champions League game.”
Brugge have made a strong start in the competition after claiming a draw against the star-studded Paris St Germain in the their opening game and then beating 2020 semifinalists Leipzig.
That has given them a one-point advantage over City heading into tonight’s encounter.
“After the first two games many more people will know this group is capable of getting results,” said Clement. “We will try to repeat that.
“The belief is always present against any opponent. I remember before we travelled to Real Madrid in our last campaign people thought we wouldn’t get anything from that game (a 2-2 draw).
“You have known me for some time now and you know that I always want to win the next game. The same sentiment for the group. We want to win everything we can.”
Clement, however, is under no illusions as to the size of the task facing his side against last season’s runners-up.
He said: “Bayern Munich and Manchester City are probably the two best teams in the world. It will be a hefty challenge for us.
“All of our players will have to make better performances than they already have and everyone will have to bring their A game, but we must take up the challenge and give everything we have got.
“What is nice is that more and more people believe we can pick up something after we have already performed well at this level. But again, for me this is Manchester City one step higher than PSG and RB Leipzig. Anything is possible and everyone is incredibly excited to be there going for it, but we have to be realistic.”