StadiumPosts Logo
Stay upto date with notifications from Stadiumposts
Notifications can be managed in browser preferences

PEP GUARDIOLA IN AWE AS HE HITS 1,000 MATCHES IN MANAGEMENT

Pep Guardiola manages his 1,000th senior game as Man City host rivals Liverpool. The Spaniard reflects on his "incredible" 715-win career and why this fixture is the perfect milestone opponent.

Pep Guardiola in Awe as He Hits 1,000 Matches in Management
Guardiola’s 1,000-Game Journey is ‘Insane’ - Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images

Before accepting the main position at Camp Nou, the Spaniard worked in the dugout for Barcelona's B squad. He later moved on to German powerhouse Bayern Munich and Manchester City.

In his 999 games thus far, the 54-year-old former Barcelona and Spain player has won 715 of them and received numerous awards at every team he has managed.

Guardiola said, "The numbers are outrageous," at a press conference before the game.

"I do not care how many, but when you reach the milestone and read about your accomplishments, you will see that we have accomplished amazing things in Barcelona, not just in the Premier League and Champions League, but even with normal victories.

"It is really hard to get there. And I will not get there if I start over."

Guardiola, who moved to the Etihad in 2016, claimed that Liverpool, his fiercest adversaries in England, were the perfect opponents for his historic match on Sunday.

With eight Premier League titles between them, the two teams have dominated English football over the last ten years.

"Obviously, Barcelona had a huge influence on my life as a ball boy, football player, manager, and so on, and obviously, Bayern was a fantastic step as well," Guardiola remarked.

But Liverpool has been the nation's fiercest rival, particularly under (former manager) Jurgen Klopp. To be honest, it could not be better.

Guardiola quipped that those who criticised him as the best manager of all time were "absolutely right" before stating that he had always played football according to his principles.

In his own words, "I strive to make our teams play the way I want them to," "I never once betrayed my emotions.

And I gained a lot of knowledge in the process. And I made a lot of changes. However, I never betrayed the core principles, or what I really believe in."

Guardiola received congratulations from former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, who managed over 2,000 games throughout his illustrious career.

He spoke on behalf of the League Managers Association and said, "Your unwavering love and enthusiasm for the game has always been so clear, and you should be very proud of the indelible impact you continue to have across the global game."

"To continue winning league, Champions League, and domestic cup trophies in three of Europe's most difficult leagues is extraordinary, and reaching 1,000 games and establishing such longevity in football is a milestone that can never be undervalued."

"The most significant person in my football career" is how Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, referred to Guardiola, whom he had previously served as his assistant at City.

After ten Premier League games, both City and Arne Slot's Liverpool are catching up, with Arsenal setting a terrifying pace.

The Gunners are six points ahead of Guardiola's team, and champions Liverpool are one point behind.

REVEALED: THE SECRET TWO-WORD MESSAGE ERLING HAALAND SENT TO MAN CITY’S OMAR MARMOUSH

Erling Haaland sends a "Salam Brusjans" message to Man City teammate Omar Marmoush after Egypt's late AFCON win.

top-news
Man City’s Marmoush and Liverpool’s Salah Rescue Egypt in 2-1 AFCON Opener

Erling Haaland, the Man City striker, sent a shout-out to Omar Marmoush after Egypt's crazy late win in the African Cup of Nations. Liverpool's Mohamed Salah scored the winning goal in the 91st minute, helping Egypt edge out Zimbabwe in their first game of the tournament.

This win gave one of the teams expected to do well a great start, especially since they had to come from behind to get the points. That goal was Salah's first since he scored in Liverpool's 2-0 Premier League win against Aston Villa in early November. Marmoush tied the game up a little after the hour mark.

After the game, Salah did what he always does and posted pics of himself with the other goal scorers on Instagram.

He put up a picture of himself with Man City’s Marmoush, and Haaland sent a message to his teammate.

The Norwegian wrote, 'Salam Brusjans,' which means 'peace brothers,' and added a thumbs-up emoji.

Even though Egypt won, their coach, Hossam Hassan, thought they could have done better in attack.

We didn't have the best luck. We missed a lot of chances and made things harder on ourselves, he told BeIN Sports. I told the players this could happen, and we need to learn from it.

There are no easy games. We want to try and win the whole thing. Egypt is a big team in Africa and should fight for the trophy.

Egypt is back in action on Boxing Day against South Africa in their group game. Then, on Monday, December 29th (4 pm kick-off), they play Angola.

Meanwhile, Man City is back in the Premier League on Saturday, December 27th (12:30 pm kick-off), when they play Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

Sean Dyche's team is now safe from relegation and is five points ahead of West Ham United, who are in 18th place.

SHOCK: ERLING HAALAND’S HALL OF FAME VERDICT REVEALED: THE SECRET TO PEP’S GENIUS

How Erling Haaland smashed Alan Shearer’s records in record time. JUST IN: His SHOCK tribute to Pep Guardiola’s help.

top-news
How Pep Guardiola Recreated a Monster

Ever since Erling Haaland switched from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester City in 2022, he's been smashing records left and right. It's cool since his dad, Alfie, played for City, too. Right off the bat, he became the Premier League's top scorer in his first month!

Just a couple of months later, this Norwegian star became the first player to score hat tricks in three home games in a row in the Premier League. By the end of his first season, he was the top scorer with 36 goals—beating Harry Kane by six.

Haaland didn't stop there. He kept breaking records, becoming the fastest player to reach 50, 75, and 100 Premier League goals, beating the legendary Alan Shearer twice.

He's only been in England for barely three years, and this 25-year-old has already snagged two Golden Boots. Now, people are seriously thinking about putting him in the Premier League Hall of Fame.

‘So far, it’s been great to work with him.’

Haaland chatted with JioStar about how much City's manager, Pep Guardiola, has helped him become the superstar he is today.

Since I signed up with City, Pep Guardiola has really helped me tweak my game and get into positions where I can score. He’s a genius, and he’s been a big help in my development as a goal scorer. So far, it’s been great to work with him,” Haaland said.

Guardiola has really turned City around. They were already doing well after the Abu Dhabi United Group bought them in 2008 and won their first title in over 40 years in 2011-12.

But with Guardiola, Man City became a real powerhouse in the Premier League. They've won six out of nine seasons under him, plus the 2022-23 Champions League and two FA Cup titles.

Haaland has been part of two of those seasons—2022-23 and 2023-24. Earlier this year, City were behind Liverpool and Arsenal, but now they’re catching up to Arsenal and are still in the running for their 11th Premier League title.

Premier League Standings

WhatsApp Read More News