BEVERLY HILLS, July 21, (THEWILL) – Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has taken a swipe at Arsenal saying he has no respect for the club off the pitch, but adds that he does respect what the team has achieved on the pitch.
The Spaniard has apparently not forgiven the Gunners’ management alongside the management of seven other clubs, who demanded that the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) does not allow Manchester City delay their 2-year UEFA Champions League ban- while their appeal was ongoing.
The court has since ruled in favour of City. Arsenal beat them 2-0 in the FA Cup Semi-final game weekend.
Guardiola said: “The opponents always deserve my respect and credit. And Arsenal, I have all the respect for what they are on the pitch – not much off the pitch – but on the pitch, a lot.
“So congratulations to them and good luck in the final.”
He also disclosed his plans for the Champions League as his side will play against Real Madrid.
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“We’ll have two days after Watford, but after that we’ll make two weeks worth of training sessions.
“Our game, who we are, with and without the ball, we’re good when we go full gas, with no fear.
“We’re going to have a specific way to play against Real Madrid. We’re going to try to maintain our rhythm, because we have to remember who Madrid are.
“We’ll see the games they’ve played since lockdown. They’ll have no Sergio Ramos [suspended], so we’ll see the games without him.
“It’s a final and we have to prepare properly. We’re going to train the specific way to play one game, sometimes you have global concepts, but now we have to be more specific. We’ll be specific against Madrid.
“Against Madrid we have to play a good game. On Saturday, it wasn’t good enough, but it’s forgotten.
“We’re excited and optimistic against Madrid. If we play at a decent level, we’ll have a chance. If not, we’ll be out.”
