Pep Guardiola names three fellow Premier League bosses he feels ‘scared to face’ against with Man City
Pep Guardiola, renowned for his incredible success as a manager, is not accustomed to losing. However, the Manchester City boss has recently admitted that there are only three other managers he speaks to after a loss when he feels “weaker” following a defeat.
Throughout his illustrious career, Guardiola has claimed numerous league titles in Spain with Barcelona, in Germany with Bayern Munich, and in England with Manchester City. He’s also a three-time Champions League winner, twice with Barcelona and once with City.
As of now, Guardiola’s contract with Manchester City is set to expire at the end of this season, and it’s unclear if he will extend his stay at the club. The 53-year-old manager boasts an impressive win percentage of 72.79%, having lost only 108 of his 926 matches in charge at Barcelona, Bayern, and City combined.
Despite this remarkable record, nobody is immune to defeat. During his time at Manchester City, Guardiola has experienced 63 losses out of the 476 games he’s overseen, which is still an impressively small number.
In a recent interview, Guardiola revealed that after defeats, he speaks to three Premier League managers who are close friends of his. Unsurprisingly, these managers are either fellow Spaniards or individuals he has previously worked with. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca both served under Guardiola in his backroom staff at Manchester City before moving on to their own managerial roles. The third person is West Ham United manager Julen Lopetegui, with whom Guardiola shares a friendship outside of football.
When asked by Sky Sports if he catches up with other managers after matches, Guardiola responded: “Sometimes, with friends of mine, yes. With Mikel, with Julen Lopetegui, for example, people who are friends of mine, Enzo Maresca, and Roberto De Zerbi. With managers that I have a relationship with – either we’ve worked together or life has brought us together – yes, I enjoy that.”
He added, “I like to speak whether I’ve won or lost. I’m not the type who only likes talking when I win. But with managers I don’t know well, if I lose, I prefer not to talk. I need to process the defeat by myself.”
Guardiola also admitted that there are certain managers he doesn’t like coaching against because their presence makes him feel “weaker.” This vulnerability after a defeat highlights that even one of the most successful managers in football still faces moments of self-reflection and challenge.
