Manchester United vs Manchester City: Pep Guardiola extends peace offering to old rival Jose Mourinho
The City manager said that he and his rival, whose relationship has been toxic at times, had recently experienced a diplomatic and civil encounter
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Your support makes all the difference.Pep Guardiola today admitted that his relationship with Jose Mourinho had been “not good” in Spain but insisted he would drink wine with him at Old Trafford tomorrow if invited.
The Manchester City manager said that he and his rival, whose relationship has been toxic at times since Guardiola beat him to the Barcelona manager’s job, had experienced a diplomatic and civil encounter with each other at a recent meeting of Premier League managers.
“He was my coach, my assistant coach with Sir Bobby Robson,” Guardiola said when it was put to him that the pair never seem capable even of eye contact. “The last meeting in Madrid Barcelona was not easy but we met each other two or three weeks ago in the Premier League managers [meeting] and we spoke fluently with Ronald Koeman, with Tony Pulis so it was ok.”
The only manager Guardiola took issue with in his press conference discussion of Saturday’s Manchester derby was Arsene Wenger, who has said that the result of the Old Trafford game will have a psychological effect – if not a statistical one.
“No,” said Guardiola. “Sorry Arsene. The impact psychologically is that after we wake up and prepare for Borussia Monchengladbach [in the Champions League on Tuesday]. It is the fourth game in the Premier League. The players are so professional. There is a lot of experience in both teams. They handle the good emotions when you win.”
Guardiola said that new goalkeeper Claudio Bravo would definitely make his debut in the intense derby atmosphere and held out more prospect of Leroy Sane starting than Ilkay Gundogan, though was positive about the fitness of both. Vincent Kompany will not play against Manchester United. Sane may start in place of suspended Sergio Aguero.
Guardiola made no attempt to limit the number of questions he was asked about the rivalry with Mourinho and handled the barrage of questions on the subject with calm assurance and understatement, his voice so low that at times it was difficult to make out what he said.
United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovich has been most vocally negative about Guardiola, caricaturing him as controlling. But Guardiola said: “I have a lot of respect for Zlatan and what he has done in the football world and his career.
"He has had a big impact in what he did everywhere and he is amazing, especially on the pitch. I have a lot of respect for him, what he has done for football. He is one of the best players and the best players they have an impact. The big players don’t have to understand the league or need time [to adjust].”
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