Guardiola recently praised Southampton manager Russell, drawing attention from the media. The Athletic wrote that this is not the first time Guardiola has defended his defeated opponents.
In the 9th round of the Premier League, Manchester City won 1-0 against Southampton at home. After the match, Guardiola praised Southampton’s manager Russell: “Southampton played well on the field, and I have learned a lot from Russell. Although they didn’t win, they have consistently shown good performances, including against Brentford and Leicester City, as well as the first 30 minutes against Manchester United. They display courage on the field and believe that hard times will eventually pass.”
Guardiola himself admits that sometimes his praise for opponents can be excessive. Sometimes, after he praises an opponent’s manager, his Manchester City team will go on to crush them with overwhelming superiority. Some people take Guardiola’s compliments as mere politeness, while others see them as a sign of an impending landslide victory for the Citizens. Over the years, Guardiola has often praised his defeated opponents, hoping to prevent their managers from losing their jobs due to losses.
Guardiola is a highly principled manager who would rather lose in his own style than win by someone else’s methods. Throughout his coaching career, his style has also faced criticism. When defending his opponents’ managers, he may recall the criticism he himself once faced from the outside world.
TA: Guardiola Often Defends His Vanquished Opponents, Perhaps Reminiscing About His Own Past. Author：Sports UEFA.Please indicate the source when reproduced：https://www.sportsuefa.com/football-world/ta-guardiola-often-defends-his-vanquished-opponents-perhaps-reminiscing-about-his-own-past.html
