The million-dollar question: which team played better, Barcelona or Pep Guardiola's Manchester City? The precision and assists of Xavi and Iniesta or the dynamics of Foden, De Bruyne and Gündogan (who has now moved to Catalonia). Messi's excellence or Haaland's power. And who better than the maker of those two football orchestras, Pep Guardiola, to answer that question.
This Monday, at The Best awards gala, Pep Guardiola was awarded as the best manager in the world. The manager received the award after his team, Manchester City, had a historic season that included the Premier League, Champions League and Club World Cup.
It was all homage and the Catalan shared a round with Kyle Walker and Rúben Dias (two of the players chosen for the FIFAPro dream team), until Thierry Henry, the host of the party, cut the sweetness short.
The Frenchman, who said he liked to call Guardiola "boss", put the best coach in the world between a rock and a hard place: "Which is better: Barcelona 2010 or Manchester City 2023? A very risky choice for the winner of five titles with the Ciudadano club over the past year.
Between the ropes, Pep expressed himself shyly: "fuck", he whispered and revolutionized the whole room with laughter. "Who would win. I don't know, it would be a good game, they are both great teams, I wonder who would be the coach on the other side," he said with a smile imagining a meeting between the two.
Which team is better between Barcelona and Manchester City? Pep Guardiola 😂 responds #TheBestEnDSPORTS | The Best pic.twitter.com/jbuewJ39On
— DSports (@DSports) January 15, 2024
"They're both amazing, honestly. That Barcelona team was young, dynamic. And this team also in England, the Premier League is very good, a very strong competition, and the team shows it season after season," he continued.
What Guardiola highlighted the most is the motivation and dedication that you have to have to be able to carry out a squad, every day with consistency, without opting for one of the two over the other.
Previously, he had already referred to Barça and remembered it as one of the greatest feats that shaped his career. "Barcelona is the club of my life, it's the reason why I'm here today. Barcelona is part of my life," he said.
Pep Guardiola became the first European coach to win the treble twice, also being the first to do so with different clubs: FC Barcelona in 2 and Manchester City in 2009.
Considered on several occasions as the best manager in the world, he has achieved a sacred 2023 with the citizens, awarding him the Champions League for the first time in his history, a trophy he touched on another occasion. In addition, he won the Premier League, the Club World Cup, the FA Cup and the European Super Cup.