Pep Guardiola publicly DISAGREES with Oleks Zinchenko that Manchester City can win the Quadruple
Manchester City were talking up the prospect of an unprecedented quadruple for a grand total of three minutes. Then Pep Guardiola walked in.
It felt as though Aleks Zinchenko might be breaking ranks somewhat as he calmly discussed how the next two months are ‘the most important in our careers’, pointing towards the possibility of lifting all four major trophies. So it proved.
‘We have an unbelievable squad, the best players in the world and definitely, why not?’ Zinchenko said. ‘Inside the dressing room I can see the hungry eyes. Everyone is so hungry for the titles and that is what you want.’
Pep Guardiola (left) and Oleks Zinchenko have disagreed about Manchester City’s ambitions
Zinchenko said that City can win the Quadruple this term, something Guardiola doesn’t believe
That all stands to reason. City are 14 points clear in the Premier League. Another Carabao Cup final is on the horizon next month. Everton await in the FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday.
They should breeze into the Champions League’s last eight tonight, taking a two-goal advantage to Budapest for a ‘home’ second leg with Borussia Monchengladbach.
Zinchenko’s honesty and enthusiasm was refreshing. Guardiola, though, was every parent agitating upstairs as their teenager’s house party grew increasingly boisterous. The noise needed turning down.
‘I am older than Mr Zinchenko, I have more experience and I don’t agree with him,’ Guardiola (right) said. ‘The only thing he has to be worried about is trying to do a good game tomorrow and try to go through. This is the only way.
‘Four titles is a utopia. It never happened before (in England) and I think it’s never going to happen. We just think about this one, then the next one at Goodison Park, then the international break. If you ask me if I agree with Zinchenko I’d say no, completely not. It’s out of reality and focus.’
That was him told. The pair have a funny relationship, Zinchenko’s impishness sparring with Guardiola’s wily wisdom. The story of how City’s left back greeted the Catalan’s 50th birthday in January by joking that he had reached old age is testament to that.
Guardiola’s deadpan reply to the jovial jibe came: ‘Aleks, the most important thing for me is to be liked by your wife and all will be OK.’ That was in reference to comments made by Vlada Sedan, in which she branded City’s shock European exit at the hands of Lyon last August as ‘completely Guardiola’s fault’ and criticised his tactics.
That has been described as a passionate scolding made in the heat of the moment. Zinchenko and his wife actually pore over the manager’s different innovations in training, with a folder dedicated to notetaking.
Guardiola told Zinchenko to focus on their upcoming Champions League tie vs Gladbach
City’s squad have noted the fallout of Raheem Sterling’s omission from Saturday’s travelling party to Fulham.
News that Sterling was on the plane to Hungary will come as a relief to supporters following rumours that he’d had a disagreement with Guardiola.
Sterling was an unused substitute for the victory over Southampton last Wednesday, with the England forward feeling the need to issue a denial on social media.
‘He didn’t need to,’ Guardiola said. ‘Nothing happened. I need arrogance and aggression in their personalities to be better players and to become the best players in the world.
‘Players having fire inside to get better and play every single minute is an important thing. During the season they are not all the time at a high level and arriving in the last part of the season I always see who performs better and then make the decisions. That’s all.’
