HIGHLIGHT – Pep Guardiola
Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour told Pep Guardiola that he is happy with the progress of the club when the pair met in Abu Dhabi this week.
Pep Guardiola
Guardiola took his first team squad to the United Arab Emirates for a short break of warm-weather training last week and met Mansour along with chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.
Mansour has only ever attended one City game since he bought the club in September 2008 but watches games from Abu Dhabi.
And Guardiola says the Sheikh is fully aware of the side’s development and he is pleased with their development in the seven months since he took over the club.
“I was really impressed that [Sheikh Mansour] knew absolutely everything about us. It was nice to meet him and spend a few hours together,” he told a news conference ahead of City’s FA Cup clash with Huddersfield Town on Wednesday.
“He is so happy because he sees all the games and he sees the effort, he demands it. He knows we make absolutely everything, we fight until the end and it was nice because of course it is important for us to know the president so that’s why it was good.”
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While Mansour is content now, Guardiola is realistic that if results take a downturn the owner’s opinion can change quickly as shown by the sacking of Claudio Ranieri at champions Leicester City.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss said he can’t be complacent and needs to win trophies to keep the pressure off.
“I had good relations with almost all my owners in Barcelona and Bayern Munich, of course it is important to know them,” he added.
“They know, we know, all the managers and owners know that we are here because of the results. If the results are not good we are going to be replaced by another. I replaced another manager.
“It is important when we are together, both departments, the chairmen and managers and owners, we have the same objective, the same target.
“Of course the results in the best way as possible and especially the people try to be proud of us.”
