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Pep Guardiola 'feels weaker' when Man City face three different Premier League managers

Man City manager Pep Guardiola (R) stands alongside assistant Mikel Arteta during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium on May 9, 2018 in Manchester, England.
-Credit: (Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Getty Images)


Manchester City's Pep Guardiola has revealed that he feels 'weaker' when facing three Premier League managers: Mikel Arteta, Enzo Maresca and Julen Lopetegui.

Speaking on Sky Sports Premier League YouTube channel, the City boss was asked some of the questions that supporters would want to ask top-flight coaches.

The 53-year-old admitted that he only ever speaks to opposition managers after a game if he previously had a good relationship with them.

The reporter asked: "Do you ever catch up with opposition managers after a game?", and he replied: "Sometimes, with my friends of mine, yeah."

When pressed for examples, Guardiola named Arsenal's Arteta, West Ham's Lopetegui and Chelsea's new manager Maresca - adding that he doesn't enjoy coaching against them. The City boss also mentioned his connection with Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi.

Guardiola said: "With Mikel [Arteta], with Julen Lopetegui for example, people who are friends of mine, Enzo Maresca, with Roberto De Zerbi. With managers that do have a relation - we worked together, a connection because life gives us a connection, yeah, I love."

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"And I like to do it winning or losing, I'm not that - the other ones I prefer when you win and the other loses. When you lose and I don't know them, I don't want to be disturbed, I don't want to talk to anyone, I want to process the defeat of myself."

When asked why he doesn't like coming up against these managers, the esteemed manager said: "Yeah, because I feel weaker."

Pep Guardiola the head coach / manager of Manchester City and Mikel Arteta the head coach / manager of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal FC at Etihad Stadium on April 26, 2023 in Manchester, United Kingdom.
Arteta and Guardiola now face off in the Premier League -Credit:Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images

Both Maresca and Arteta have previously worked under Guardiola at City, while Lopetegui is a former Barcelona teammate of the Spanish manager.

All three share a strong bond with the Premier League coach - perhaps explaining why he prefers to face off against managers with whom he has no prior connections.