Jose Mourinho calls him "a specialist in failure" - but Arsene Wenger is the "commander-in-chief" for Pep Guardiola .
Netflix
fan Guardiola picked up the term from US TV series 'House of Cards' and
it underlines his huge respect for the Arsenal boss - in stark contrast
to Mourinho's attitude towards him. Wenger
must feel like a soulmate for Guardiola as he struggles to preach the
gospel of passing football in the land of the long ball.
"He's the commander-in-chief because he's the boss, no?" said the City coach.
Pep a big fan of Frank Underwood of House of Cards
"I saw many Netflix series and that's why. Commander-in-chief and colonel, I use a lot." Unsurprisingly, Guardiola is a huge fan of Wenger's style of play ahead of tomorrow's showdown at the Etihad.
"I like it, yes, He's been here a long
time. When that happens at a club such as Arsenal, it's because a
person is doing a good job.
"I understand it's not easy to win
the Premier League, but I have a lot of respect about his career. I've
said many times that I admire the way he tries to play and especially
the quality of the players they like and they buy. I like a lot."
Yet
Wenger still hasn't won the Premier League since 2004 - a fact Mourinho
never tires of mentioning - and Guardiola knocked him out of the
Champions League three times with Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
Wenger is accused of refusing to adapt his philosophy to the
physicality of the Premier League, which is also levelled at the purist
Guardiola.
Guardiola is irked by this charge and insists he understands the need to adapt to English football's long-ball style.
"I am pragmatic,I'm so pragmatic. Look at my past, I'm so pragmatic.
"I'm here because I won. I want to win. I'm so pragmatic, guys. Concede few goals and score more goals.
"I have to learn about the players, know the players, but to build something you need time."
Guardiola has not been helped by injuries and suspensions and he
confirmed Ilkay Gundogan needs surgery on his season-ending anterior
cruciate ligaments injury.
Gundogan is expected to be operated
on by Guardiola's favourite surgeon Dr Ramon Cugat in Barcelona and the
City boss feels for the Germany midfielder.
"It's so sad for him, We're going to miss him a lot, but he will be operated on by the best." Guardiola said.
It was a thrilling, breathless night, full of everything that football should be, and when it was all done Manchester City could reflect on the kind of result they have desperately craved since the bags of gold came in from Abu Dhabi and the story of this club changed forever. They had not only beaten Barcelona for the first time but they had done it the hard way, coming from behind, and they have spent so long waiting for this form of affirmation it automatically takes its place as the most gratifying win in the Champions League to date.
Any victory against a side featuring Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suárez has to be cherished but perhaps the most jubilant aspect for Pep Guardiola’s team is what it showed about their competitive courage and the change in mentality compared to City’s previous attempts to overcome perhaps the most beautifully constructed club side there has ever been.
