Every day’s a school day in England for City boss Guardiola
PEP GUARDIOLA says the unfamiliar feeling of losing matches this season has helped make him a better manager.
Guardiola, whose FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal today represents his last shot at a trophy, won six league titles in seven seasons at Barcelona and Bayern Munich but has seen his City side defeated nine times since arriving at the Etihad.
The Spaniard admits to going through personal introspection in a bid to justify his appointment after Manuel Pellegrini finished fourth and won the League Cup last term.
‘I’m a better manager now not because it is the Premier League or English football but because I lose more than in my past and when you lose more games, you learn more,’ he said.
‘During the part of the season when we went four or five games without winning, I went home and said: “Now, Pep, you have to see how good you are. Now is the moment you have to show yourself.” All this season I lived with that thought in my mind. So now is the moment.
‘I came to England to prove if I’m able to adapt. If not, I would have stayed at Bayern Munich or Barcelona. I’m not here to say: “Oh my credentials or my CV are so good,” and expect people to respect it.
‘I expected to do it [be successful] in a hurry but sometimes it takes time. It is fascinating from my point of view because the expectations are higher. Before it was Manuel (Pellegrini) and Roberto Mancini and Mark Hughes but still the owners believe in me. I’m there to try to do better next season.’
Guardiola has been criticised this season for ditching goalkeeper Joe Hart and defensive naivety costing them a tilt at the Premier League title and a Champions League exit against Monaco. But they go to Wembley today having scored three goals apiece against Hull and Southampton, with Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus back from injury to supplement a dazzling strikeforce already counting Leroy Sane, Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling.
Meanwhile, Guardiola insists interest from big clubs in Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez — who he once signed for Barcelona and has been linked with a summer move for the 28-year-old — is perfectly understandable.
Sanchez will be the main threat to City, with extra interest created by uncertainty over his future with just a year left on his contract.
‘All the players who go to Barcelona immediately realise they cannot compete with Lionel Messi, even the biggest players. Messi is unique but Alexis is just one step below, too,’ said Guardiola.
‘Of course he is a fantastic player. He has the quality.’
Of the transfer speculation surrounding Sanchez, Guardiola added: ‘You can understand why teams would be interested with one year left. All the clubs in the world are going to improve in the summer and how do you improve the teams?
‘Better players. And of course all the players around the world — and Alexis is one of them — they are going to know this is the situation.’