Pep Guardiola is arguably the best club manager in the world at the moment. The Spaniard has won everything there is to win at the top level, enjoying European success with all the clubs he has managed, with the exception of Bayern Munich, where Champions League trophies eluded him.
Much of Guardiola’s success can be attributed to his possession-based football and the freedom given to his players to take risks. His approach left him flat-faced yesterday after goalkeeper Ederson did a Cruyff turn in the 3-1 win over Red Star Belgrade in a video that has now gone viral on social media.
Watch: Pep Guardiola’s unsettling reaction to Ederson’s Cruyff turn vs Red Star
Guardiola has never shied away from taking risks, making him one of the world’s most successful managers. He has also instilled this value in his players, urging them to be confident with the ball at their feet, as he likes his team to always be in control of the ball. Despite being a goalkeeper, Ederson is one of the most pivotal players in Guardiola’s system.
Ederson starts some of the team’s attacking plays and is pretty calm with the ball at his feet—a prerequisite for a modern goalie. Guardiola’s high-risk football means that his team is sometimes prone to errors, leading the legendary manager to blame himself sometimes. In City’s 3-1 win over Red Star Belgrade in their opening UCL fixture, Guardiola was relieved to see Ederson successfully do a Cruyff turn just 30 yards from his goal.
The City manager was visibly worried by Ederson’s move, prompting several comments on social media on the incident that has now gone viral. “Pep encourages his boys to be bold,” a Twitter user said before another responded with a cheeky tweet, “Yes, but not reckless.”
Pep Guardiola trails Carlo Ancelotti by 5 wins in most UCL wins as manager
Last season’s treble with Manchester City reminded everyone how good a manager Pep Guardiola has always been. The City boss also won his first UCL in 12 years since the last time he did it with Barcelona in 2011 after beating Manchester United in the final. The win in the 2023 final against Inter Milan took Pep’s tally to 101 wins in the competition, leaving him trailing Sir Alex Ferguson (102) and Carlo Ancelotti (107).
City began their new UCL campaign with a 3-1 win over Red Star Belgrade, taking Pep’s wins in the competition to 102, levelling up with the legendary former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, and five wins shy of Ancelotti. With Ancelotti leading Real Madrid this season, it’s unlikely for Guardiola to match or beat his record in the competition, but there’s plenty of time as the Italian will reportedly leave his post as Real Madrid manager to manage the Brazilian national team at the end of the current season.
Will Pep Guardiola match Carlo Ancelotti’s UCL record this season? Tell us your predictions in the comments.
