Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola: Bernardo Silva’s bad form may be my fault
Pep Guardiola says Bernardo Silva is one of the most special footballers he has ever coached despite the midfielder’s dip in form this season – something for which the Manchester City boss takes his share of responsibility. Silva was voted City’s player of the season as he and his team-mates swept to a domestic treble in 2018-19, but his performances this time around have been indicative of a general malaise, with Liverpool storming clear of their rivals to claim the Premier League title. The Portugal international has featured infrequently in the right-sided attacking midfield position he occupied for a chunk of last term, with Kevin De Bruyne back to full fitness and in prime form. Similarly adept on the right-hand side of attack, Silva has found his path blocked by Riyad Mahrez and, mor...
Pep Guardiola ‘interfered in medical matters’ at Bayern Munich – ex-team doctor
Getty Images Pep Guardiola “interfered in medical matters” at Bayern Munich, according to former team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt, who says the highly-rated coach thought he “knew everything better than I did”. Guardiola was drafted in to replace Jupp Heynckes in the Allianz Arena hot seat in the summer of 2013, inheriting a treble-winning squad brimming with world-class talent. The Spaniard had already established himself as arguably the finest manager in Europe by that time, after assembling one of the greatest teams in history at Barcelona between 2008 and 2012. As expected, Bayern continued to dominate the domestic scene in Germany with Guardiola at the helm, but he was unable to deliver success in Europe. The 49-year-old picked up seven major trophies during his time at the A...
Report: Boost for Newcastle as rival club ‘will listen to offers’ for £47m target
According to reports from The Times, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is looking to rebuild the squad in the summer transfer window. He feels that if Manchester City are to win the title back from Liverpool next season, they need to invest in the squad and bring the right profile of players. The report claims that the Spaniard will meet the City board to discuss which players should be leaving the club. After City fell 23 points behind Jürgen Klopp’s side, Guardiola feels that signing a central defender is a necessity. City are keen to offload Argentine defender Nicolas Otamendi while the club will listen to offers for John Stones. The 26-year-old defender joined City in 2016 from Everton for a reported fee of £47.5m. He was the world’s second most expensive defender at...
Ederson credits Pep Guardiola with improving his game
Ederson has credited Pep Guardiola with making him a better goalkeeper and says the Manchester City boss “sees football in another way” to others. Brazil international Ederson has spent three seasons working under the Catalan coach, playing a key part in two Premier League title successes and four domestic cup triumphs. The 26-year-old is well known for his ability to command the box and start attacks from deep, but he was at fault for both goals in March’s derby defeat to Manchester United. However, Ederson insists that taking risks is something that is expected of him under Guardiola, who he credits for taking his game to the next level. “The role of a goalkeeper in Pep’s team is like the 11th outfield player on the pitch, in terms of the build-up, the pressing,” he told Sky Sports. “I t...
Vincent Kompany turns down offer to be Pep Guardiola’s assistant
Vincent Kompany has turned down an offer from Manchester City to become Pep Guardiola’s assistant coach, according to various Belgian media reports on Friday. The former City captain is under contract as player-manager of Anderlecht until 2022, having left the Etihad Stadium last year following a trophy-laden 11-year spell in England. Kompany, who has never concealed his desire to one day be City manager, said he wanted to stay at Anderlecht. On Thursday, Belgium’s most successful club responded to recent financial difficulties as Wouter Vandenhaute took over from Marc Coucke as president. Anderlecht finished only eighth in the Belgian league season, which was curtailed by the coronavirus pandemic, their worst post-war position. City boss Guardiola has been looking for a new assistant sinc...
Another Premier League player tests positive for novel coronavirus
A third first-team player from Brighton & Hove Albion tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, the Premier League club’s chief executive Paul Barber has confirmed. Two Brighton players had contracted the novel coronavirus in March and April and the latest positive result could cast doubts on the Premier League’s plans to resume the season that has been suspended due to the pandemic. Clubs are due to meet on Monday to further discuss “Project Restart” which envisages a return to play in June once given the green light from government, with the remaining 92 matches held behind closed doors at neutral venues. “It is a concern. Unfortunately we’ve had a third player test positive yesterday,” Barber told Sky Sports on Sunday. “So despite all of the measures that we’ve been taking over the ...
Newcastle reportedly want £40m player Pep Guardiola once said has ‘a special quality’
According to 90min, Newcastle United are interested in signing John Stones from Premier League rivals Manchester City in the summer transfer window. It has been reported that Newcastle’s prospective new owners, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, have identified the former Everton central defender as a transfer target this summer once they have bought the club from Mike Ashley. The report has added that City will want £40 million as transfer fee for the 25-year-old England international, who has “got a special quality”, according to his manager Pep Guardiola, as quoted in The Guardian in November 2016. Stats Stones has been at City since 2016 when he joined from Premier League rivals Everton. Much was expected of the Englishman when he arrived at the Etihad Stadium, but the defender has...
