Arteta said Pep Guardiola is lucky to have such a player in his team 😮⚽ and admitted he is afraid of him because without that player, Guardiola cannot compete at the highest level

When Mikel Arteta sat down to reflect on his journey into management he did not begin with tactics or trophies he began with a person Pep Guardiola For Arteta the story of his growth as a coach cannot be told without speaking about the years he spent learning under the man he calls unique Those three years at Manchester City were not just a job they were an education a transformation and a foundation for everything he would later try to build at Arsenal

Arteta had already experienced football at the highest level as a player He understood dressing rooms pressure expectations and the rhythm of the Premier League But stepping into coaching alongside Guardiola opened his eyes to a different world It was a world of fine details of relentless standards of daily improvement and of vision that stretched far beyond one match or one season

He described the experience as incredible and when he spoke about Guardiola he did not immediately focus on trophies or formations Instead he focused on personality He said first of all the person It is an incredible pleasure to work alongside someone like him That sentence reveals what impressed him most Not just Guardiola the coach but Guardiola the human being

Arteta explained that Guardiola has a rare ability to make people feel important The way he makes the staff feel the way he makes the players feel and everyone around the club is unique In modern football where pressure can break confidence and criticism can spread quickly that emotional intelligence becomes powerful According to Arteta that is Guardiola’s biggest strength His ability to connect with people to inspire them to make them believe in something bigger than themselves

Working at Manchester City during that period was not simple The Premier League is one of the most physical and competitive leagues in the world Many people believed that Guardiola’s ideas which were shaped at Barcelona could not fully succeed in England Critics said the players were too small They said English football was too intense too direct too physical They said the style that dominated Spain would struggle in England

But Guardiola did not accept those doubts He had a dream He wanted to take the football philosophy he learned at Barcelona twenty years earlier and bring it into the Premier League He believed possession intelligence movement and courage on the ball could conquer England the same way they conquered Spain Arteta was invited to help make that dream real

That invitation meant a lot to him Guardiola asked him personally to be part of the project to help translate that philosophy into results in one of the toughest leagues in the world Arteta said that everyone around them doubted the idea They said it could not be done They said it was impossible with those players They said the physicality of the league would crush them

But they did it

Those simple words carry pride They did it Manchester City went on to dominate the Premier League They played a style of football that combined control with speed creativity with discipline beauty with efficiency They broke records They won titles They forced other teams to adapt to them Instead of adjusting to England they reshaped England

For Arteta being part of that transformation shaped his identity as a coach He saw how Guardiola prepared for matches He saw how he demanded intensity in training He saw how he communicated ideas repeatedly until every player understood them perfectly Guardiola’s desire to transmit messages in a unique way left a strong impression on him

Guardiola is known for his clarity He explains not just what to do but why to do it He creates belief through explanation He connects tactical detail with emotional motivation Arteta absorbed those lessons carefully He observed how Guardiola adjusted small tactical details depending on the opponent He learned how preparation can give players confidence before stepping onto the pitch

Arteta also saw the cost of excellence The long hours The constant analysis The refusal to accept comfort Guardiola’s desire to work is relentless According to Arteta that hunger to improve every day was central to Manchester City’s success It was not enough to win one title The aim was to build a culture where standards never drop

When Arteta later became Arsenal’s head coach those lessons became visible He spoke often about culture about standards about daily habits He tried to build a group that believes in a clear vision just as Guardiola had done in Manchester He tried to make players feel valued and connected to a shared dream

Arteta understands that copying someone directly is impossible Every manager must find his own voice But learning under Guardiola gave him tools It gave him structure It gave him confidence to implement bold ideas even when critics doubted him

The Premier League can be unforgiving Young managers face immediate scrutiny Results are demanded instantly But Arteta’s experience at Manchester City prepared him mentally He had already witnessed how patience and conviction can overcome skepticism He saw how people laughed at Guardiola’s early adjustments in England only to watch those same critics fall silent when trophies arrived

One of the most powerful elements Arteta learned was belief in a long term project Guardiola did not focus only on the next match He focused on building a system that would last He thought about how each training session contributes to a larger identity He viewed every small detail as part of a bigger picture That strategic patience influenced Arteta deeply

Arteta has often spoken about clarity Clarity of message clarity of structure clarity of expectations He learned that confusion weakens teams When players understand exactly what is required from them they perform with greater freedom Guardiola mastered that clarity and Arteta studied it closely

Another lesson was adaptability While Guardiola is associated with a specific style he constantly evolves He tweaks formations He changes pressing triggers He experiments with player roles Arteta saw that evolution up close He saw that strong philosophy does not mean stubborn repetition It means flexible intelligence within clear principles

Emotion also plays a role Guardiola can be intense passionate demanding He lives every match fully Arteta experienced that energy daily He saw how emotional investment can push standards higher but must be balanced with calm communication That balance became important in Arteta’s own management style

When he returned to Arsenal as head coach he carried pride from helping Guardiola achieve his dream in England He said he is proud that he helped even a little bit to make that vision real That humility stands out He does not claim ownership of Manchester City’s success He speaks as someone grateful to have contributed

Arteta’s journey under Guardiola also strengthened his belief in young players Guardiola trusted technical ability even in a physical league He believed intelligence can overcome size Arteta adopted that belief At Arsenal he has shown willingness to trust young talent to build a team around energy and technical quality rather than just physical dominance

The experience also taught him about dealing with pressure Manchester City faced constant scrutiny Expectations were enormous Every dropped point created headlines Arteta saw how Guardiola handled that noise He focused internally He protected his players He maintained consistent standards regardless of outside opinions

That resilience became essential when Arteta faced criticism in his early months at Arsenal He did not abandon his ideas quickly He remembered how Guardiola stayed committed to his principles even when results were not perfect That memory likely gave him strength to persist

Beyond tactics and psychology there was friendship Arteta speaks of Guardiola with warmth There is admiration but also affection Working side by side for three years builds trust They shared victories and frustrations They debated ideas They refined plans That collaboration shaped Arteta not only professionally but personally

Football at the highest level often moves quickly Managers change clubs Players move on Projects evolve But the lessons learned during formative years remain Arteta’s time at Manchester City under Guardiola remains one of the most important chapters of his career It gave him confidence to lead a historic club like Arsenal It gave him perspective on what is required to compete with the best

Guardiola’s dream of bringing Barcelona principles to England once seemed unrealistic Critics laughed They said the league was too physical too chaotic too different But through discipline belief and adaptation that dream succeeded Arteta witnessed that transformation firsthand He saw skepticism turn into admiration

Now as a manager in his own right he carries those memories He tries to create environments where players feel supported yet challenged He tries to communicate vision clearly He tries to build something sustainable rather than temporary

Arteta’s reflections on Guardiola reveal more than respect They reveal gratitude He understands how rare it is to work alongside someone with such clarity and drive He values the way Guardiola treated staff and players He sees that human connection as the foundation of tactical success

In modern football where managers are judged weekly and patience is rare those lessons feel powerful Building a project requires courage It requires belief even when others doubt It requires daily commitment to standards That is what Arteta learned

He learned that dreams in football are not naive if they are backed by work He learned that vision must be communicated relentlessly He learned that culture shapes results He learned that success is built long before match day

And above all he learned that leadership begins with people Guardiola’s greatest strength in Arteta’s eyes is not a formation or a system but the ability to inspire everyone around him to believe in a shared mission That understanding continues to influence Arteta’s journey as he writes his own story in management