Pep Guardiola spoke about Sergio Agüero, Julián Álvarez, Marcelo Gallardo and Argentine football.

Guardiola gave an interview with Veronica Brunati of Ole which was translated earlier, where he spoke about Lionel Messi and Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni. While speaking about Messi and the Argentina national team, he also commented on Sergio Agüero, who he managed at Manchester City. Speaking in the interview, here is what he had to say about Agüero:

“Sergio gives the impression of being sluggish but he is very ready. He gets your concepts. What he did in England is unequaled. At this club, there is a before him and after him. He scored the best goal for this club that was, is and will ever be in history.

“I’m not a big fan of statistics but of scorers, yes. They say “this player made millions of passes” but what about the passes? Were they good or bad, did they break the lines or not? But with the goals, they are goals. You score or you don’t.

“I understand that the way we play was not easy for Sergio. His natural tendency is not to press, he was not brought up that way. But I value him a lot because I know he gave his best.

“The people here are aware of what he has done. He is the most important Argentine to have played football in England, for everything that he represents. Sergio has been the greatest, by far.”

He also spoke about current River Plate coach Marcelo Gallardo:

“I like and admire his consistency over time. Being in a competitive league, in a Libertadores… Being there for a while, competing. They sell his players and he is still there.

“I don’t know him, I have never been able to chat with him, I haven’t been to the Monumental to watch a game to get a deep analysis but the fact that he has been there for so long is because there is something.”

Regarding newly signed Julián Álvarez:

“If we signed him it’s for him to be with us. There is a fundamental question: We believe that he is a player for us. At City, they saw him as an opportunity for the future, he will be with us in the next preseason.

“I saw him on television but I want to see him on the pitch with his team mates, with what we want him to do… If we weren’t convinced, we would not have bought him. We want him.The reports we have of him are exceptional. How he moves in short spaces and how he finishes is something very difficult to find.”

About coaching in Argentina:

“They never tried to get me to play for River nor did they call me to manage the Argentina national team. Regarding the national team, I think it should be managed by an Argentine. That position belongs to an Argentine. After that, I do have customs and things in common.

“We speak the same language, we like similar things, we love life, food, being with friends and people we love, I have trained many Argentine players and I have friends that live there.

“I think we all love places based on the people who are there and who make you feel comfortable. Then there is Valdano, Cappa, César Luis Menotti, no less, Argentine literature is very cool… Surely I will go back again, on vacation, not for work.

“I don’t know what my destiny will be in a few years. What has to happen will happen. When I have to leave City, I will leave. And I will go home and take some time. I don’t know. If I need to go coach in Argentina… I don’t know, to Boca for example, that way those from Boca don’t get angry because they told me I praised River, hehe… Well, I’ll go to Boca… I don’t know. Who knows?”

Pep Guardiola commented on Lionel Messi and Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni.

Guardiola managed Lionel Messi at the beginning of his career as both were part of the legendary FC Barcelona team. Now at Manchester City, Pep last won a Champions League trophy with Messi scoring in a 3-1 win in the final against Manchester City. Speaking in an interview with Veronica Brunati on an Ole podcast, here is what Pep had to say about Messi when asked about the 2022 Qatar World Cup being his last:

“It’s the last…? Hopefully he gets there well. Hopefully he gets there physically well, that he trains well and that he gets there strong. I haven’t spoken to him after the Copa America but obviously I should congratulate him.

“Surely it was a very good liberation for him. It’s not easy being Messi in this football world. And now he is going for the World Cup, I have no doubt.”

In regards to Lionel Messi now:

“What has changed in his play? You get older and the energy that you had at 20 is not the same as now. We all change, we are all different. He has changed, he has millions of matches under his belt, in his mind and he adaps, logically, as he should.

“When he was 20, 21, he had this energy of wanting to conquer the world and a youthfulnes that his legs gave him for those efforts that was asked of him. Today, at 34, 35, he is smart enough to know when to do it and when not to.”

The Manchester City coach was also asked about Messi’s influence in his career:

“What does Messi signify? Everything. Everything. He knows that there was a group of incredible players who helped him when we were together at Barcelona in those four years. There was a group of impressive players. Lots of stars at the right moment and at the right age.

“We won a lot and without him we would have won but how much? No, impossible. Without wishing to compare myself, MEssi is like Michael Jordan when Phil Jackson could get that feeling that everything was flowing and there were no problems. It was “we grab the plane and we go for another one” and so on. I owe him a nice bottle of wine to thank him for the contracts he made me sign, heh.”

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni was also a topic of discussion. Here is what Pep had to say about Scaloni:

“The thing about experience is a big lie in football. I always told that to my players at Barcelona, at Bayern and now at City on the Champions LEague final. Milan was winning 3-0 against Liverpool in the first half. And Milan had an experienced team, guys of a thousand battles like Cafu, Dida, Nesta, Pirlo, Maldinin, Gattuso, Crespo, Inzaghi… And they lost! In 20 minutes in the second half and it became 3-3!

“I have seen little of Scaloni’s team but as for the results, it’s been a while he hasn’t lost. And that gives you strength, unbeaten… And he always has Messi, who knows that he alone can win it for you. Or not win it alone but the unique capabilities of being able to generate two or three chances out of nothing per match, to give it to players like Di Maria, Lautaro or Julian Alvarez. It’s a great advantage in those tournaments.

“Argentina are a candidate. Self-esteem is essential. More if you already won the Copa America. It depends how they get there…”