PEP GUARDIOLA has been lavished with praise by Slovan Bratislava boss Vladimir Weiss – who compared him to an ARCHITECT.
The Man City boss was baffled by the comparison ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with the Slovak side.
Bratislava host the Premier League champions at the 22,500-capacity Tehelné pole looking to bounce back from a 5-1 loss to Celtic in Gameweek 1.
Weiss was full of praise for Guardiola – and his impact on world football – ahead of arguably his team’s toughest test in their history.
And the 60-year-old had a bizarre comparison with another Catalan “genius” up his sleeve.
Weiss said: “I would compare Pep to [Catalan architect] Antoni Gaudi.
“He’s been building something nobody could understand – just like Gaudi had his idea for a cathedral – and he is a genius and now he’s achieved what he wanted to do.
“He’s selected players who fit his philosophy. I love [Carlo] Ancelotti and Jurgen Klopp, but Pep has changed football with his attitude and creativity and stubbornness — in a good way.”
A flummoxed but flattered Guardiola replied: “I think maybe he had a glass of wine before the press conference, but thank you.”
Guardiola was pressed further on the Gaudi comparison by reporters.
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But he refocused minds on the game, claiming the light-hearted questioning suggested his team were playing a “friendly.”
He continued: “I’m a little bit concerned about that in terms of the questions about Gaudi and this kind of thing.
“It’s a competition and we need to perform well.
“With this new format, I don’t know exactly how you handle it and how many points you need.
“Maybe you can finish 13th, 14th or 15th – not qualify in the first eight – and you can win the Champions League.
MAN CITY are favourites to win the Premier League title yet again – but there is one elephant in the room that threatens to put the skids under the Etihad giants.
Sunsport’s MARTIN LIPTON discusses what the next few months could hold with Head of Sport SHAUN CUSTIS….
Custis: So the big question – will there be a resolution this season?
Lipton: Yes…. probably! We know the case will start to be dealt with in October or November.
It will take at least a month to go through the evidence. So I suspect around March, April time, we will get a result. But that’s where it starts to get tricky.
Custis: Why is that?
Lipton: If the result is in City’s favour, that’s the end of the matter. They will be cleared. They will have no punishment to face.
But if City are found guilty, these will be the heaviest penalties ever imposed by the Premier League.
I suspect if they are found guilty, they will be expelled from the league or given a massive points deduction and a huge fine so that they’re not in the Premier League next season.
Check out the full discussion on Man City’s future.
“Tomorrow is an opportunity to make a step.”
City come into the game on the back of a 1-1 draw with Newcastle on Sunday.
It was their first game since losing influential midfielder Rodri to a long-term ACL injury.
Pep’s men are also looking for their first point in the new-look Champions League after a 0-0 stalemate with Inter Milan last time out.
