Rio Ferdinand, a former defender for Manchester United, thinks Pep Guardiola is already in the running to be dubbed “the greatest” football manager of all time and did not need to lead his team to a historic treble.
The Spanish manager won his 12th major trophy with City on Saturday, defeating Inter Milan 1-0 in the Champions League final. He also became the first manager to win two European trebles after doing the same with Barcelona in 2009. Rodri’s 68th-minute goal was all that was needed to give him the distinction.
Ferdinand, who led City to victory in the Champions League, praised Guardiola profusely, comparing his unrivalled vision to that of a master artist, an improbable comparison.
Does he need this game to be acknowledged as one of the greatest, if not the greatest?, he asked BT Sport. We’re all, I believe, in agreement, and given how he views the games, he doesn’t even require it. In ways I have never seen in my lifetime, he has his teams paint pictures.
Whatever you want to do, Michaelangelo, (like Picasso).
Guardiola’s team, who needed some incredible saves from Ederson to win the European championship, would never be forgotten, Ferdinand was equally adamant, adding that they were now “immortal. many statues.
“Listen, this squad has played a style of football that is admired and looked at throughout the world. Since Pep Guardiola’s arrival, this has been a long-term initiative and ongoing process. However, the football that these players have generated is incredible. This team will undoubtedly go down in history, both individually and collectively.
A fantastic team and they’ve dug deep when they needed to, and they’ve been able to play both sides of the game. I think that’s been the difference between this Manchester City team to past ones.
Rio Ferdinand
“They ought to. A superb team, they have always been able to play both sides of the game and have always been able to dig deep when necessary. That, in my opinion, sets this Manchester City team apart from previous ones. They can pass, they can play fantasy football, but when necessary, they can also dig in, put up a fight, and win games. In this team, balance is key.
Joleon Lescott, a fellow analyst who works with Ferdinand, was a member of the Roberto Mancini-coached Manchester City team that qualified for the Champions League for the first time ever in 2011.
He noticed a difference in Guardiola throughout a Premier League season in which City looked up at Arsenal in the standings before winning the FA Cup and the league title for the third time in a row.
He claimed to be the most forthright and honest player this season to BT Sport. When he publicly declared that he didn’t identify the team, I believe it was during the Spurs game. In the first half of the season, hardly one anticipated this result. Nobody is noticing a treble.
“He then revealed Kyle Walker and demanded more, just as he had done with Kevin De Bruyne. As a result, you can only establish a close relationship with a team of players and be sincere in your feelings of connection with them.
Guardiola’s former Barcelona teammate Cesc Fabregas remembered the times when the City manager was unproven in England and even attracted sceptics who questioned whether he could duplicate his success there.
Guardiola has guided City to five Premier League championships, two FA Cups, four League Cups, and a Champions League since joining the team in 2016.
“He’s a very tough manager to play for because he demands the absolute best, but on a daily basis you have fun because he has a philosophy that every player dreams of,” Fabregas said to the broadcaster.
We originally assumed that he would have trouble adjusting to life in England—not me, since I had firsthand knowledge of his methods. Can he introduce this kind of play to the nation?
“And everybody had their doubts. But he is a really unique man, a very unique person, and a very unique manager, and I am happy for him.
