Mikel Arteta has paid tribute to Pep Guardiola as he prepares to face Manchester City without the manager who dominated English football until the end of last season.
Guardiola was at the helm at City between 2016 and 2025, enjoying one of the most successful spells in Premier League history. His influence on English football has been significant, and his departure means Arteta will not face his former mentor this weekend.
The City team are now looking to rebuild under Enzo Maresca, but Guardiola’s influence will not be forgotten in a hurry. Arsenal fans will always remember him as the coach who trained their manager before Arteta eventually moved to the Emirates.
Arteta Remembers Guardiola’s Influence
Arteta worked under Guardiola for three years before moving to the Emirates to become the Arsenal manager at the end of 2019. His time working with Guardiola played an important role in his development before he took charge of the Gunners.
Arsenal will be looking to ensure the team is in fine shape this season, and some people believe the Gunners can now dominate the league because they will not have to compete against Guardiola.
As his team prepares to face City this weekend, Arteta remembers Guardiola and said via BeIN Sports:
“I think he is the best manager in history.
“He has made all the coaches and their teams work in a different way. He has made all of us better.”
Manchester City Remain a Threat
Arteta’s comments highlight the respect he continues to have for Guardiola and the impact the former City manager has had on coaches and teams across English football.
However, Arsenal cannot afford to focus only on Guardiola’s absence when they face City. The team remain very good despite the managerial change and will be determined to deliver a strong performance against the Gunners.
Without Guardiola, City are still a very good team and will deliver a fine performance against Arsenal. The weekend fixture will therefore provide Arteta with another difficult test as he looks to guide his team through the season.
The Gunners may believe Guardiola’s departure creates an opportunity, but City still have the quality to challenge them. Arteta will know that his team must perform at their best if they are to overcome their opponents and continue their ambitions for the campaign.
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Arsenal has a chance of dominating the league.
40% said Betfair and the Supercomputer. May their softwares get blessed!!!
I’m sure it’s not tongue in cheek. If Guardiola assumed the Italian job, that would have made me totally relieved. Even now he’s not far from City. Pep acts as an advisor. If Maresca is not performing, he may return
Well, I’m going to say this.
Pep is undoubtedly a great football manager and coach.
However, he has spent well over £2 BILLION on Transfers and Man City are an ‘Oil State’ Club who hadn’t won much at all until ‘the oil started flowing’. And we all now about the eternal investigation into the 115 charges.
Bayern and Barca are very Rich Clubs, and both have had their Financial and Footballing Scandals.
He’s a great Coach, but his he the best in football history? – Personally I don’t think he is.
As much as none of us like Fergie, what he achieved at Man U has to be respected – essentially from finances generated by the Club’s Commercial financial income streams and infrastructure. I can’t stand the man, but I respect what he achieved.
Jose, was successful while he had owners that gave him blank cheques.
When the blank cheques stopped – the so called special one wasn’t so special after all.
Again, PERSONALLY and with Objective Logic – For his ground breaking and innovative impact on the whole game internationally as well as domestically – his ability to genuinely develop raw talent in player’s into world class skill – His Arsenal Trophy Cabinet between 1998 and 2005 – including the Invincibles and steering Arsenal through the Emirates Stadium Build and financing with 20 Years of continuous Campions League qualification which provided huge ‘UEFA Funding’ toward clearing the Emirates Stadium Debt – Our own Man – Arsene Wenger, who was virtually unknown in wider football circles in 1996 just about gets my vote over Fergie, with Pep G in 3rd Place.
In 1996 it was ‘Arsene Who’ – Nobody was saying that in 2018 when he left the Club he was virtually named after.
Wenger was a transformative manager of that there is no doubt. It was tale of two halves and the first one was jaw droppingly amazing. Other managers cottoned on to his ideas and money from the emerging monied clubs changed the landscape along with the financial hardship of building the Emirates
I’m plumping for Guardiola- as much as it pains me as well as Fergie who also built a dynasty. They won in Europe which isn’t a top trump but it was the numbers of wins
From my point of view there’s no doubt, Pep is the #1. He has been successful in every club starting with Barca, 14 titles including two CL trophies.
Bayer Munich, 7 trophies.
Guardiola’s Bayern scored 254 goals in 102 league matches – a Bundesliga record – and they conceded just 58 goals in total, at an average of 0.6 per game. He combined a ruthless attack with a mean defence, with no coach who has taken charge of more than two league games boasting a better defensive record, which includes 59 clean sheets.
Man 115, 20 trophies including 1 CL trophy.
115 has the record of most goals scored in a single season, 106 in the 2017-18. In the top 10 years of most scored goals 115, has been there 7 times.
I still await FA to conclude before it gets too pathetic, or perhaps they love Arabic money too much!
There’s a general understanding that football teams of today are better than teams dominating the league 10, 20 or 50 yers ago. I have much respect for sir Alex, and his amazing achievements. First in Scotland and afterwards with Man. United, which makes him #2
For me Arsène Wenger will always be #1 even when I rank him #3. He will forever have my respect, never let us down, even during the difficult times when he could have picked any club in Europe. Merci Wenger,
a real gentleman and clever with human beings, with and without football shoes. Our best manager of modern times 🫶
SueP – In terms of Club Success and winning trophies I see your point.
In Terms of ‘Dynasties’ – following managers should come in after you and continue your success, over time at ‘at least a similar level’.
That didn’t happen at Man U or Chelsea, and it’s yet to be seen if it happen at Man City.
It DID happen at Liverpool in the 1970’s and 1980,s including their Title win in 1990 – Shankly Paisley Evans Dalglish all came from ‘within the club’ with decade of the Anfield culture in their footballing DNA – and I think that’s what made it a Dynasty – and hugely successful.
A W didn’t adapt his ideas, and as you say others cottoned on.
Would any of the others, possibly / probably with the exception of Fergie have kept their teams in the CL for 20 years running WHILE under the Financial constraints of a Full Stadium relocation and rebuild from scratch….
Would any of them have shown that level of commitment to their Clubs….
In my view, none of them have had the wide ranging positive impact – training methods / Diet / Lifestyle / Sports Science – on the Domestic / European / Wider international Game as Arsene Wenger.
They copied and followed him on that score.
Personally, I’d still give it to Wenger, for all the reasons given above – Just ahead of Fergie ( I can’t stand him – but I do respect what he achieved ) and then Pep – all with fine margins, but that’s still my 1 2 3
Fine margins and I can’t argue your reasoning