Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says Arsenal do not have his full respect off the pitch

By: Kamusime Barnabas

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has revealed he does not have much respect for Arsenal’s off-field dealings.

City reportedly believe the Gunners are one of a number of clubs to have previously called on the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) not to agree to any delay to their two-year European ban, which has since been overturned.

UEFA had accused City of breaking their Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules by overstating sponsorship revenue in their accounts and in the break-even information submitted between 2012 and 2016, as well as failing to co-operate with its investigation.

The decision by CAS to overturn City’s ban was met with criticism by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and Tottenham head coach Jose Mourinho.

Guardiola is also understood to be frustrated with Arsenal at the way they approached his former assistant Mikel Arteta before appointing him as head coach in December, although the City manager has no issue with his fellow Spaniard taking the job.

Reflecting on City’s FA Cup semi-final defeat to Arsenal, Guardiola said: “The opponents always deserve my respect and credit, and Arsenal, they have it..

“I have all the respect for what Arsenal are on the pitch – not much off the pitch, but on the pitch a lot. So I congratulate them and good luck against Chelsea in the final.”

Pep ‘excited’ by Real clash

With City unable to alter their second-place finish in the Premier League, focus switches to the Champions League and next month’s clash with newly-crowned Spanish champions Real Madrid on August 7 in the delayed second leg of their last-16 tie, leading 2-1 from the first encounter in February.