After the Champions League final won with his Manchester City against Inter Pep Guardiola exalted his opponents and Italian football with great sportsmanship.
Pep Guardiola is obviously satisfied with the victory of Champions League with the Manchester City against theInter. However, the Catalan coach with great intellectual honesty recognized the merits of the opponents who, according to him, could have won the match. Big congratulations for Italian football from the manager capable of placing the second treble of his career.
Speaking to the microphones of Sky, Pep analyzed the evening with great pragmatism, admitting that the match had proved open to any result: “I’m happy, now we have to process a bit. I have the peace of mind knowing that we could have equalized it, gone into extra time, lost it, won it more easily if Foden made it 2-0. This competition is a coin. Or you are much much stronger but this is not the case when you play against Inter. Now we have won and Pep is very good, the other years we were a disaster. We did a unique thing, with the treble and brought this team where it deserves in 10 years.”
What were Manchester City’s difficulties against Inter? Guardiola starts from the analysis of the Champions League final to compliment his opponents: “In my career I’ve adapted to the players, the idea is always the same: to make a good ball exit, good high blood pressure, keep the extra man in the middle of the field. Today we struggled because Calhanoglu jumped Rodri and John Stones was free and we couldn’t find him. They thought Brozovic jumped Rodri and Gundogan behind had space. When we lack this… sometimes you play against teams that are good. Congratulations to Inter, I knew it before and it’s no coincidence what they did this year. Sensational team and I guess what they feel because we heard it two years ago. But they are the second strongest team in Europe and not a little.”
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And then off with the exaltation of Italian football and in particular of those who are bringing new ideas: “Inter are a difficult team, physically they are very strong. Italian football has gone all the way in the three competitions and it is always Italian football. Far from the Premier League? The problem is that you have to travel. When you’re always at home, you can’t see further than you. We have a tendency to speak ill of who we are, and in the end each country has its own particularity. I see what Inter, Napoli, Milan from last year and I say they are good. It’s not throwing the ball forward, everyone behind and waiting for a counterattack. Now that’s over. I imagined when you play with Antonio Conte, the teams play you short and empty you in the middle of the pitch… it’s very difficult. So much credit to what we did.”