Pep Guardiola a 'better' manager than Barcelona days as Covid-hit Manchester City face Chelsea

City will be without five players who tested positive for the coronavirus for Sunday's game at Stamford Bridge

Pep Guardiola has spoken highly of Chelsea manager Frank Lampard ahead of Manchester City's trip to Stamford Bridge. Reuters

Pep Guardiola believes he is a better manager now than in his glory days with Barcelona and is enjoying the job so much he has decided to delay his retirement.

The Catalan, whose four-and-a-half spell at Manchester City is already the longest of his career, recently extended his contract to 2023.

Guardiola, who turns 50 this month, was appointed Barcelona manager at just 37 and won the Champions League twice in three years but feels he has improved since then.

“Definitely,” he said. “Of course I am better. Experience helps you, especially the way I live my profession. Before I thought I am going to retire soon and maybe now I am thinking I am going to retire older. Fifty already is a nice age.”

And yet, as Guardiola, the events of the last 10 months have brought very different situations. “I think all people around the world are managing a weird and strange and new and unusual situation,” he said. “The best way is to adapt.”

City return to action against Chelsea on Sunday after Monday's trip to Everton was a late postponement when five players, including Kyle Walker and Gabriel Jesus, tested positive for Covid-19. All will miss the visit to Stamford Bridge.

Everton were unhappy with the late decision, though Guardiola phoned his counterpart and friend Carlo Ancelotti to explain.

“If the Premier League say we have to play Goodison Park we are going there, knowing the risk what would happen if we go there and contaminate five, six seven players at Everton and after we have to cancel the Premier League,” Guardiola said.

“The protocols are good, the rules are good but the situation is here. Because right now there are a lot of doubts about this pandemic situation, even the doctors. There are doubts in anything. Sometimes you have to take the decisions, adapt day by day with the situation as it happens.”

Guardiola’s Chelsea counterpart is following his career path. Guardiola was the Barcelona fan who became the club’s manager with relatively little experience. Frank Lampard was Chelsea’s record goalscorer before being propelled into the main job.

Guardiola, who ended up being drained by life at Barcelona, drew on his experience to suggest the highs and lows will affect Lampard more.

_________________

Pep Guardiola's five years at Manchester City

_________________

“You feel it more, of course because the booms are more present,” he said. “Except at the beginning at West Ham and the end at two other clubs, Lampard has spent all his life there and for sure it is special for him.

“I think he wants more than ever to do well. Football is tough business for everyone but he is an excellent manager and a top, top, top guy. Like Carlo Ancelotti that is a legend for me, one of the people I admire the most and Frank is an incredible person. You train where you were a boy, you won everything there, it is special, of course it is.”

After Chelsea, City face a League Cup semi-final that doubles up as a Manchester derby. Manchester United are level on points with leaders Liverpool and Guardiola had thought they would mount a title challenge in previous seasons

“I am pretty sure Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] is happier than me,” he said. “Since I arrive I expected United to be there all the time sometimes in the last couple of seasons it could not always be possible especially in the Premier League.”

And yet a season where City have lost 5-2, United 6-1 and Liverpool 7-2 has provided the unpredictability Guardiola was promised. “Before I landed here people said that in the Premier League everyone can lose to everyone,” he said. “I didn’t see it until now.”