Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he is looking forward to the 2022 World Cup Qatar, having spent some years in Doha with Al Ahli in the past.
Speaking to beIN SPORTS, the former Barcelona man whose City side failed to defend their Premier League title against champions Liverpool, said the Reds deserved to win the league after an exceptional season.
Opining on the World Cup, the Spaniard said, “I have had incredible memories at Al Ahli and with people there in Qatar. I spent two nice years and I have good memories with this country. I am looking forward to seeing it (Qatar) in the FIFA World Cup, how well they are going to organize it,” Guardiola said.
The 49-year-old joined Al Ahli in 2003 from Italian side Brescia. He spent two years with The Brigadiers, making 35 appearances but the Spaniard is now more recognized for his achievement as a manager.
With successful spells at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, Guardiola became Manchester City manager in 2016 and has since won back-to-back Premier League titles. This season however, City were blown away by a fantastic Liverpool side and Guardiola hailed Jurgen Klopp’s side for a great season.
“I think Liverpool were exceptional this season and I want to congratulate them. We were not consistent like previous seasons when we were like machines, we lost a lot of games this season. The way we played was good and I don’t have many regrets in the way we played.
“Liverpool played every single game like it was their last game, but we did not play the games like if we do not win, we are going to lose the Premier League. They played every single game like they could not lose one game, and we did not,” he said.
The 2011 FIFA Coach of the Year also heaped praises on his counterpart Jurgen Klopp. Both men had duelled in the Bundesliga when Klopp was manager of Borussia Dortmund, while Guardiola was at Bayern Munich.
“Klopp is an exceptional person; I like to be his colleague and to compete with him and against him. I think he is an exceptional manager. He showed it in Germany and now in England, and wherever he will be he will have success,” Guardiola said.The former Al Ahli player recalls ‘incredible memories’ of his two-year stint in Qatar, hails Liverpool’s success at EPL
