Manchester City

Xavi: 'Pep Guardiola will change face of English football'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 08 August 2016

Former Barcelona ace Xavi claims that Pep Guardiola "changed world football" during his time in charge at Camp Nou, and believes that he will do similar at Man City.

Xavi has backed his former manager Pep Guardiola to revolutionise the face of English football during his time in charge of Manchester City.

The 45-year-old has won six domestic titles and two Champions League crowns during his nine years in management at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

Guardiola faces his toughest test yet at the Etihad Stadium this season, however, taking over a side that scraped into the top four of the Premier League last time out by virtue of goal difference alone.

Xavi, who spent four campaigns working under his compatriot in Catalonia, believes that Guardiola will pass his latest test with flying colours.

"Joan Vila, who was my mentor at La Masia, told me: 'Boy, soak up everything you can from Pep. His first touch, how he turns his head before receiving the ball, when he is under pressure, when he has space, his changes of rhythm, how he uses both feet to control the ball'," Xavi told Sky Sports News. "The first thing I remember him saying as a coach was that he would not tolerate any player not working hard.

'This is the only thing that I require, that you work hard for the group.' This was a surprise for us. The high pressing was brilliant. It was a real football revolution, a modern kind of football. Within a few years, no one played long balls anymore, even Real Madrid changed their style.

"Pep's first year started this football revolution. We made history. Not just for the victories, but also for the way we played. He changed world football. He did not just change Barca, he changed world football. I think he is one of the few people who can change English football."

Guardiola's first official match in charge of City comes on Saturday evening when Sunderland visit the Etihad Stadium.