Soccer

Guardiola believes Sarri will get same lack of support as Conte

Man City manager says first season at club was very different to that of ex-Chelsea boss

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola with his assistants during a training session ahead of their Carabao Cup final against Chelsea. Photograph: PA Wire

Jamie Jackson
Sat Feb 23 2019 - 01:28

Pep Guardiola has highlighted Chelsea’s short-term approach by stating he enjoyed Manchester City’s backing in a way Antonio Conte never did and suggested Maurizio Sarri may encounter the same lack of support.

Guardiola struggled during his first season but never felt any sense he would be removed. He cited this when saying his experience was different to that of Sarri, who is under severe pressure during his opening campaign at Stamford Bridge.

Guardiola said: “The situation [Sarri’s] is a little bit different [to mine]. In my first year, never did the club doubt me. It was never in the media that I’d be sacked if they lose this game or the other game. It never happened. I was surprised that when Conte won the title [two years ago] and they lost one or two games at the beginning of the following season, people start to say he was going to be sacked.

‘Completely different’

“I said: ‘Wow, but two or three months ago they won the Premier League.’ The situation is completely different.”

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Sarri will claim a trophy if he leads Chelsea to victory in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against City. Guardiola’s side beat Chelsea 6-0 in this month’s Premier League meeting.

“In that moment I was so happy to beat them but now I would prefer not to have beaten them 6-0,” Guardiola said. “I don’t like to play a team again in a short period of time, when you’ve beaten them by so much.

“When we reviewed the game [at the Etihad] – maybe people don’t believe me but they did incredible things. The first goal was a mistake. The [third] one Ross Barkley made a mistake. The second one, Sergio [Agüero] scores an incredible goal. When that happens it’s tough for the managers and the teams. But they did many, many good things.”

City did not train on Friday so Guardiola will know today whether John Stones and Gabriel Jesus are available after minor injuries. “The info I have is they are getting better,” he said. Aymeric Laporte has signed a two-year contract extension to 2025.

– Guardian

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