Pep Guardiola claims not to have given a moment’s thought to Uefa’s controversial decision to appoint Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz to take charge of this Saturday’s Champions League Final.
The 44-year-old Spaniard has previously clashed with the Manchester City manager, most famously when he sent off Guardiola during Manchester City’s stormy Champions League quarter-final exit to Liverpool in 2018.
Guardiola was also unhappy, a year earlier, when Lahoz booked Sergio Aguero for diving, rather than award his team a penalty, during defeat to Monaco in the last 16 of the competition.
But with City facing their first ever Champions League Final on Saturday, Guardiola claimed not to have thought about the reunion with his countryman.
“No. Not one second. I could not care less,” said Guardiola. “I am so confident in my team. You cannot imagine how confident I am in my team and what we have to do.”
Guardiola was sent to the stands at the Etihad at half-time of the 2018 quarter-final second leg with Liverpool after Lahoz disallowed an early Leroy Sane goal, and later said: “Mateu Lahoz is a special guy, he likes to be different, he likes to be special.”
Meanwhile, City star Ilkay Gundogan is looking forward to a reunion himself, this one with the Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel who coached him for his final season with Borussia Dortmund in 2015-16.
Gudogan revealed that Tuchel managed to talk him into remaining with Dortmund for an extra season, delaying his move to the Premier League by 12 months, and the coach quickly won over the German international.
“For me it was great to have him one more year,” said Gundogan. “I didn’t expect much when it was announced he was going to be the new manager.
“I was in talks to leave the club but I had one phone call with him, he presented himself to me when I was on holiday in the summer break.
“It was a really good call and he explained to me a few things, how he wanted us to play, how he wanted us to train, and every single thing he said to me, he proved during the season.
“I was surprised how well he was working with the team, how good was his approach, how good his tactics. I really enjoyed it, he taught me a lot.”
Guardiola himself has a friendship with Tuchel dating back to his time in German football, as manager of Bayern, and a Munich dinner date that the pair enjoyed.
“We talked football, football, football and football. That’s all,” he said. “We talked about this and that, that our feelings, our loves, good players, bad players and football, with interesting people.
“I learned a lot. With good food, good wine, it’s always a nice moment to share. Good memories. Since then we grew up, both of us we have a good relation, I respect him, but he knows and I know that we want to win.”
Gundogan confirmed he has recovered from a minor knee injury that kept him out of Sunday’s season finale against Everton, leaving Guardiola with a fully-fit squad.
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from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3ugaQ7k
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