Guardiola explains why De Zerbi and Brighton fascinated him

Manchester City, who have been champions since Saturday, still have two Premier League games to play. Before Sunday’s final game, tomorrow, Wednesday, they visit Brighton in a pending match.

I will be the reunion between two coaches who admire each other, Pep Guardiola against Roberto De Zerbi, although so far they have only met once. Last October, in the first round of the Premier League, when the Catalan coach defeated the Italian 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium.

De Zerbi has secured Brighton’s qualification to play in a European competition for the first time in its historythe Conference League, but with two remaining games, tomorrow against City and on Sunday against Aston Villa, he will aim to maintain sixth place and get into the Europa League. One point is enough to achieve this.

Pep, surrender to De Zerbi

In tomorrow’s pre-Brighton-City conference, Guardiola wholeheartedly praised De Zerbi and assured: “Pay attention to what I say because I am sure I am right: he is one of the most influential coaches of the last. 20 years”.

Guardiola did not praise when asked about De Zerbi, who He took the Brighton reins in September to relieve Graham Potter, who was hired by Chelsea.

“I am very impressed. I congratulate him and the team on this incredible achievement of qualifying for Europe,” said Pep. “No one in the world plays like Brighton: they have a unique style. Ever since Roberto arrived in the Premier League, I felt he would have a big impact, but I didn’t expect him to have one so soon. His team creates 20-25 chances per game, more than their rivals. And he saves the ball because he hasn’t seen it in a long time. All players are involved, their goalkeeper plays as a midfielder. If you don’t play at the highest level, this team will do what they want with you. They deserve all the praise and success they have.”

Study a “unique” Brighton

But Guardiola’s admiration goes to the point of admitting that Brighton is one of the teams he is studying, not as a next rival but to try to learn something. “Because they are unique, like a restaurant with a Michelin star”, Pep compared.

“In Catalonia there is Ferran Adrià’s El Bulli, for many years the best chef who completely changed the kitchen. And I think the form is just as unique and special: how it plays, how the players move, how they do things. It will be an incredible challenge for us before the two finals, which is clearly a priority,” Guardiola said in reference the FA Cup final against Manchester Unite on June 4 and the Champions League final against Inter six days later.

What’s the secret?

Pep details what he’s learning from Brighton, the secret of De Zerbi’s style. “I study them mainly to understand their decision-making timing,” he said. “Brighton are an expert at passing the ball to the free man, always on time. To do this they have to move perfectly and because they are the best team in the world, the best. They do not pass the ball before the opponent moves, but as soon as he passes and goes around him. When they do depends on what they see on the field. And in understanding the right time to move, there is no one like them in the world.”

This needs to be considered.