Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola gestures on the touchline during the UEFA Champions League, league phase football match between Manchester City and Inter Milan at the Etihad stadium, in Manchester, north-west England, on September 18, 2024 (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola gestures on the touchline during the UEFA Champions League, league phase football match between Manchester City and Inter Milan at the Etihad stadium, in Manchester, north-west England, on September 18, 2024 (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
Fabio Capello and Paolo Di Canio were thoroughly unimpressed with Manchester City’s attitude ahead of the Champions League meeting with Juventus, calling Pep Guardiola and Ederson ‘arrogant.’
It kicks off at the Allianz Juventus Stadium in Turin at 20.00 GMT.
You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game, Milan-Crvena Zvezda and Benfica-Bologna on the Liveblog.
The Citizens have dominated the Premier League title race in recent years and Guardiola just signed a new contract extension, but despite huge investments, they only have one Champions League trophy to show for it.
Now they are stuttering both domestically and in Europe, prompting a stern response from the Sky Sport Italia pundit crew.
Capello critical of Guardiola ‘arrogance’
LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA - SEPTEMBER 15: Former Milan and Juventus coach Fabio Capello of Italy managing the Red Team during a charity match for the Slovenian flood victims on September 15, 2023 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. In August 2023 major floods occurred in two-thirds of the Slovenian territory due to heavy rain. Deemed as the worst natural disaster of the country. (Photo by Jurij Kodrun/Getty Images)
Fabio Capello (Photo by Jurij Kodrun/Getty Images)
“Guardiola is a great coach, but he is far too arrogant and presumptuous,” said former England manager Capello.
“At times he has even lost trophies because he wanted to prove that he was the one winning and not the players, so he dropped key figures from the side in the big games. That was in my view an attempt to take the spotlight and the credit away from his squad.”
Capello’s colleagues on the panel agreed that Guardiola was arrogant, but also noted that at least he had the exceptional career to back it up.
Meanwhile, Di Canio is the resident expert on English football on Sky Sport Italia and was unimpressed with the return of Ederson to the starting XI following his howlers against Feyenoord in a 3-3 draw.
“Ederson has talent, but he is so arrogant that he makes these mistakes due to sheer over-confidence and trying to show off, like a back-heel flick when under pressure.”
Capello pointed out that the goalkeeper was a “disaster” and ought to be dropped until he can learn some humility.
“These are two teams, one that has not yet found its identity, another that has lots it,” continued Di Canio.
“Up until a month ago, City were the team with the clearest identity in the world. Now Guardiola’s side concede goals so cheaply, absurd mistakes against the weakest opponents.
“I expect Juve can hurt this Manchester City. They score goals, but they concede a lot too.”
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