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Guardiola takes aim at Arsenal hierarchy

China Daily | Updated: 2020-07-22 09:24
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in London, Britain, July 18, 2020. [Photo/Agencies]

LONDON-Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola took a swipe at Arsenal on Monday by admitting he does not respect the Gunners off the pitch.

Guardiola's side was knocked out of the FA Cup at the semifinal stage by Arsenal 2-0 on Saturday at Wembley.

Guardiola was impressed by Arsenal's play under his former assistant Mikel Arteta, but he made a distinction in his thoughts about the north London club when it comes to its approach away from the pitch.

Guardiola's anger with Arsenal is thought to come from the role it played in the group of eight Premier League clubs perceived to have turned on City during its successful appeal against a two-year Champions League ban.

The group wrote to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), to try to ensure any attempt by City to delay its two-year ban while its appeal was ongoing was dismissed.

City had its ban overturned by CAS earlier this month, but Guardiola told reporters: "The opponents always deserve my respect and credit, and Arsenal, they have it.

"I have all the respect for what Arsenal are on the pitch-not much off the pitch, but on the pitch a lot. So I congratulate them and good luck against Chelsea in the final."

Meanwhile, Guardiola says he is "optimistic" as City prepares to resume its bid for Champions League glory against Real Madrid. City will host the Spanish champion in the second leg of its last-16 tie on Aug 7.

Guardiola's side holds a 2-1 lead from the first meeting in Madrid in February.

City only has one Premier League game to play before the visit of Zinedine Zidane's men.

It was well below its best against Arsenal but Guardiola pledged to learn from that performance and is confident his team will be ready for Madrid.

"Part of the good work Arsenal have done, I give them a lot of credit for, what they did, how good they defended," Guardiola said on Monday.

"We didn't do it properly. We had enough chances to score goals and we didn't do it. I just congratulate them, learn from this and prepare for Madrid. We move forward, it's forgotten.

"Now we are incredibly excited and incredibly optimistic about the game against Madrid, for the players we have.

"We know if we play at a decent level, higher than we played against Arsenal, we'll have our chance. If not, we'll be out."

Next season will be Guardiola's fifth at City, meaning he will have stayed at the club longer than his previous jobs at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

"I've never been five years in one club, to see if we will be able to maintain the levels that we have in the previous seasons," he said.

"In one world where everyone sacks everyone, for managers to keep doing the same job for a long time is so difficult. To be in a fifth season makes me so proud."

Agence France-Presse

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