'Be careful': Pep Guardiola hits back at Fabio Capello over 'arrogant' jibe

Pep Guardiola has responded to Fabio Capello's accusations of arrogance by defending Manchester City's impact on the Premier League's standards.

Former England, AC Milan, and Real Madrid manager Capello criticised Guardiola in a recent interview with El Mundo. The 78-year-old Italian claimed Guardiola's arrogance had prevented him from winning more Champions League titles.

Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

Capello suggested Guardiola was overly arrogant because he wanted to prove his tactics were behind City's success. He also accused Guardiola of damaging Italian football by inspiring managers to imitate his possession-based style without suitable players.

Guardiola has led Manchester City to six Premier League titles and their first Champions League trophy since joining in 2016. City currently sits in fifth place after winning the previous four Premier League titles.

"Naming one of the big managers, one of the exceptional managers, in Fabio Capello - it doesn't look like it's arrogant, I would say, but we helped to raise the bar in the Premier League."

"The teams had to go to the transfer markets, right? People want to do good, people are well organised, have good structures, make good decisions, have good players everywhere."

"I went to Bournemouth in the beginning, and now it's different. I went in the beginning to Brighton, and now it's different. And I went to Fulham in the beginning, and now it's different."

"I've been here, I'm an old guy, I'm the oldest manager here, nine years. I know the evolution of the Premier League has been massive."

"It's incredible how they've changed and it's good, really good, for the Premier League."

Capello claimed Guardiola's desire to be the protagonist led to unsuccessful tactical decisions in important matches. Their relationship has been strained since Guardiola played under Capello at Roma, where the Italian manager struggled to find a suitable position for him.

When asked about Capello's specific remarks, Guardiola offered a brief response.

"I listen to everything that people say about me, everything, so be careful!"

"It's not the first time Mr Fabio Capello has said that. I'm not good enough to ruin Italian football, it is very important. A big hug for Fabio."
Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, and live scores for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Find out how to watch IPL 2025 in Canada and the USA.