Pep Guardiola brands Roberto De Zerbi as ‘one of the most INFLUENTIAL managers in the last 20 years’
Pep Guardiola labels Roberto De Zerbi as ‘one of the most IMPACTING managers of the last 20 years’ following Brighton’s launch in Europe – saying the in-form Seagulls are like a ‘unique Michelin star restaurant’
Pep Guardiola has described Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi as ‘one of the most influential managers of the last 20 years’.
The Manchester City manager will take his newly crowned champions to the Amex Stadium on Wednesday to face De Zerbi’s over-achieving Seagulls, who he says are ‘the best in the world’ in one aspect of the game.
City clinched their fifth Premier League title in six years last weekend and now play league fixtures against Brighton and Brentford ahead of an FA Cup final against Manchester United and the Champions League final against Inter Milan.
But Guardiola paid tribute to the Brighton manager, who took his team to European football for the first time.
Already assured of Europa League football and the highest league finish in their history, Guardiola paid tribute to the work the Italian has done on the south coast.
Roberto De Zerbi has led Brighton to a historic sixth-place finish in the Premier League
Pep Guardiola described De Zerbi as ‘one of the most influential managers of the last 20 years’
“Congratulations on this incredible performance in the Europa League,” said the City boss.
“I think Roberto is one of the most influential managers of the last 20 years.
“There is no team that plays the way it plays – unique. I felt like he was going to make an impact and it would be great – but I didn’t expect them to do it in such a short time.
“Twenty or 25 chances, they monopolize the ball like it hasn’t been in a long time, a goalkeeper like a tenacious midfielder, if you don’t play at a high level he can do whatever he wants against you.
Newly crowned Manchester City take on the in-form Seagulls at the Amex on Wednesday
They deserve the success and are a team I try to learn from. (They are like a) Michelin star restaurant, unique.
“In Catalonia, the best chef changed the kitchen, and Brighton is playing with something special and it’s an incredible challenge.”
When asked what they do that makes them so special, Guardiola said: ‘(The) time to make decisions. Brighton are masters of deciding when to move to the freemen – they are the best in the world at that.
‘The right pace and the free men. How aggressive they are with the ball is the same as (it was under previous manager Graham) Potter, and the way they do the process and use the keeper, when they need to pass the ball, they are the best.’