Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has called Roberto De Zerbi "one of the most influential coaches of the last 20 years" ahead of their clash with Brighton.
The new Premier League champions take on the Seagulls on Wednesday night as they prepare to rest and rotate players ahead of next month's FA Cup and Champions League finals.
Meanwhile, Guardiola will face one of the most talked about coaches in football at the moment; Roberto Ze Derbi.
The Spaniard is a famous fan of the Brighton boss. In fact, during his pre-match press conference on Tuesday afternoon, he was full of praise for the Italian coach and his team. Advertisement
Asked if he was impressed with the Brighton manager's performances this season, Guardiola offered a tribute to all ages.
"Be careful with what I say because I firmly believe that [Roberto De Zerbi] is one of the most influential coaches of the last 20 years," he said. “No other team plays their way, it's very unique.
"Congratulations to Brighton on an incredible achievement going into Europe. I felt that when he arrived I had already envisioned his impact on the Premier League, but I couldn't believe it. short time. Advertisement
“They create 20-25 chances per game on average. They monopolize the ball in a way they haven't seen in a long time. Everyone is involved - the goalkeeper is like a starting midfielder.
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Learning from Roberto De Zerbi's style of play, Guardiola added:
"Brighton is a master at passing the ball to a free agent, but also knows when to pass.
“They know the right move at the right time. They have the right tempo to go free. How aggressive they are on the ball, they carry on from Graham Potter because I think he's established something really good.
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Some fans on social media then accused Pep of playing brain games during the press conference.
One person said:
"Pep is back. As he praises your team, know you've been beaten well," while another wrote:
"It's clear what Guardiola is doing now."
A third person commented:
"Don't listen to him Roberto, it's a trap."
The fourth added:
"Pep Guardiola's mind games are all about praising opposing managers. Like a predatory lion pretending to care for a bleeding zebra."
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Pep Guardiola is full of praise and admiration for Roberto De Zerbi ? pic.twitter.com/bxl9CY90hR
– Premier League (@premierleague) May 23, 2023
This is not the first time that coach Guardiola has given De Zerbi such praise. In March, he said:
“We have an Italian manager in the Premier League, De Zerbi – he has changed a lot of things in English football. He makes great football.
"Everybody said - you can't play from the back in the Premier League. But he did, and he was brilliant."
Thoughts on Guardiola's comments about the Brighton boss?
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