Pep Guardiola responds to Capello: I’m not good enough to ‘destroy’ Italian football

Former Italy manager Fabio Capello recently criticised Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, saying his possession-based style of play has ‘destroyed’ Italian football. However, in response to this accusation, Guardiola responded in a humorous way, saying that he is not yet influential enough to have such a big impact on Italian football.

1. Capello’s criticism: Guardiola ‘ruins’ Serie A?

Fabio Capello publicly accused Guardiola of being ‘arrogant’ and believes that his possession-based tactics have robbed Serie A of its own identity. Capello believes that Guardiola’s tactical philosophy, which places too much emphasis on possession and ignores the possibilities of other styles, has a negative impact on the development of Italian football.

However, Guardiola was not angry and responded to the criticism with a relaxed attitude.

2. Guardiola’s humorous response: a big hug for Capello

When asked by a reporter about Capello’s comments, Guardiola replied with a smile, ‘I will listen to all comments about me, so everyone should be careful.’ He continued, ‘This is not the first time Capello has said this. But to be honest, I’m not good enough to ‘destroy’ Italian football. That World Cup was very important, and I think Capello may have exaggerated a bit.’

Then Guardiola added: ‘Give Capello a big hug! His views are interesting, but I don’t agree with them entirely.’

3. Guardiola on watching the Champions League: It’s nice to sit on the sofa and drink wine

As Manchester City failed to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League this season, Guardiola has had more time to watch the matches at home. He revealed that he has watched several exciting matches, such as Liverpool vs. Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid.

Despite not being able to participate in the Champions League himself, Guardiola said he is not disappointed. ‘It doesn’t hurt me,’ he said. ‘We shouldn’t have been there in the first place. I’m just a spectator, watching the matches to learn and enjoy.’

He also mentioned that the Champions League is an extremely difficult tournament, and that sometimes a small detail can decide the fate of a team. ‘Look at the example of Julian (Alvarez) and Atletico Madrid,’ Guardiola explained. ‘With just one small mistake, you can be eliminated. I don’t need anyone to tell me how difficult the Champions League is.’

Finally, he summed up half-jokingly: ‘This season, our task is to sit on the sofa, drink a glass of wine and watch the matches. I hope that next season we can do better and qualify for the Champions League again.’

4. Summary: Guardiola’s humility and optimism

In response to Capello’s criticism, Guardiola showed his usual sense of humour and humility. Not only did he accept the other person’s point of view, he also diffused the dispute in a relaxed manner. At the same time, he also showed great equanimity about being knocked out of the Champions League this season, regarding the experience as an opportunity for learning and reflection.

In the future, will Guardiola and his Manchester City be able to make a comeback? Let’s wait and see!