"If you play like Barca, the stadiums will never be empty"
Pep Guardiola is also amazed by the 3-3 draw between FC Barcelona and Inter Milan - and is not worried about the industry.
Pep Guardiola watched Barca's match against Inter enthusiastically on Wednesday – and is already looking forward to next week. picture alliance (2)
Three goals against Inter Milan in a Champions League semifinal? Pep Guardiola's FC Barcelona couldn't even manage that in 180 minutes in 2009/10. While he experienced arguably the most bitter 1-0 home victory of his coaching career , having to come back from a 3-1 deficit against José Mourinho's skillfully destructive Nerazzurri, the Catalan was amazed at what both teams performed in Barcelona 15 years later.
"I was surprised by how beautiful the game was," said the Manchester City head coach the day after the breathtaking 3-3 draw during his press conference ahead of the Premier League home game against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday (9 p.m., LIVE! on kicker). "Both semifinals were incredible, but especially the one on Wednesday," which far surpassed Arsenal's 1-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain the day before.
"If you play like Barcelona, the stadiums will never be empty," Guardiola is certain, "and the football business will continue to grow. Then we'll be able to make a living from it for a long time to come." It's not about results, "but about how proud the people who love Barcelona are."
Guardiola also raves about InterGuardiola, who coached Barca from 2008 to 2012 and won the Champions League in 2009 and 2011, didn't forget the other team involved in his praise. "Inter Milan have once again demonstrated how incredibly defensive they are in transition, how physically strong and well-organized they are," he enthused, also thinking of the 2023 final, which he narrowly won with Man City against Inter. "Simone Inzaghi is an incredible coach."
Guardiola, who was eliminated in the knockout round play-offs against Real Madrid this year ( 2:3/1:3 ), is looking ahead to the coming week like most fans: "Tuesday and Wednesday will be fantastic. All four teams deserve to be in the semi-finals."
