‘City aren’t copying Barca’

Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu expects Pep Guardiola to thrive at Manchester City but doesn’t feel his club are being copied.

It has been suggested that the presence of Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano, two former Barca executives, and the appointment of Guardiola, is another step in an attempt to replicate the Catalans’ model.

“I don't think City are replicating anything,” Bartomeu said in an interview with the BBC.

“Like a lot of clubs in the world, they have a project to make the club grow. Some of their people used to be with us at Barcelona and they are bringing their experience to the club.

“This is normal because in Europe there is the movement of professionals from one to another.”

Guardiola will take the bench at the Etihad Stadium for next season, leaving Bayern Munich, and Bartomeu was effusive in his praise for the trainer.

“Pep will do well at any club. He has very good ideas for football,” he said of Guardiola.

“The Premier League will have the advantage of having one of the best coaches in the world.”

Tags Josep Maria Bartomeu Manchester City Pep Guardiola
La Liga - Club News