Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola wrote a long article published by La Gazzetta dello Sport, explaining how Arrigo Sacchi changed football and predicting a bright future for the Azzurri and Serie A.
“The first time I saw him was in 1987. I was a kid playing in Barcelona’s academy and Milan came to Catalunya to play Javier Clemente’s Espanyol in the UEFA Cup,” Guardiola wrote in an article published by La Gazzetta dello Sport on Tuesday.
“Not many knew Italian football at that time, we were not accustomed to watching it on TV as it happens today. Nobody imagined Milan, beaten by Espanyol, would win the Scudetto that season. One thing is sure: any Barcelona fan would support Arrigo’s team the following season when they beat Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final. You can imagine the celebrations in my city after their 5-0 win at San Siro. Football is nice as long as rivalry does not degenerate into violence. The icing on the cake was Milan lifting the trophy at Nou Camp that season.
“Until Sacchi arrived in football, the general idea was everyone in defence and God up front. This is why Arrigo was counter-cultural. His football was attractive and winning. I wish he could coach for a longer time because many coaches, including myself have studied his methods. When this happens, it means you have left something special. Think about the defensive organisation, the offside and a team oriented 40 meters ahead of all others. It was an innovative system.”
Guardiola played in Italy for Brescia and Roma between 2001 and 2003 and scored three goals in 28 appearances in Italy’s top flight. While at Brescia, he played under the late Carlo Mazzone, sharing the dressing room with legends such as Roberto Baggio and Andrea Pirlo.
During his time in Italy, Guardiola had the chance to meet Sacchi in person.
“All players who wanted to become coaches wanted to know Sacchi’s principles in detail. The first time I met him in person was in 2001,” he recalled.
“Sacchi was Parma’s technical director at that time and I was at Brescia. We met for lunch and I only wanted to talk about strategies, but I guess he was starving because we spent longer time eating than talking about tactics! But he was so lovely to accept seeing me and it was an honour to have lunch with him. During the following years, when I became Barcelona coach, we continued talking and it still happens today. There’s still great respect between us.
“Sacchi is also an example of education and style. If I think about my group management, I believe that one of the most important aspects of a healthy coexistence is talking nicely about people, not badly. Your life improves when you speak well about people close to you. The contrary is negativity that comes from bad feelings.
“Arrigo won many trophies and could have won even more with a longer career. But what’s a victory, after all? My Manchester City lifted the Champions League last season and obviously, everyone’s praising us. But we could have lost it. As I recently said, a Final is a coin toss. I think it’s important to get there, fight to be competitive at all times and then it all depends on that coin. In 1994, it dropped on the wrong side for Arrigo’s Italy, as it happened to us against Chelsea a few years ago. We returned to the Final last season and it went well, but it was hard against a tough Inter side that play modern football, is physically strong and is well-coached by Simone Inzaghi.”
Manchester City won their first-ever Champions League last season beating Inter 1-0 in a Final played in Istanbul. They had reached the Final in 2021 as well but were beaten by Jorginho’s Chelsea at the Estadio Do Dragao in Porto.
“We coaches must make players understand they’re not good only if they win. It’s hard today, given all the pressure they have,” continued Guardiola.
“In life, defeats are more common than victories and the older I get, the more I realise it may be all written already. However, this doesn’t mean you can lie on the sofa and just wait for things to happen. You must work hard and this is true for all of us. It’s important to find something we love, a job we are passionate about, which we can do at the best of our possibilities. I know Arrigo would agree. It is better if you win, but if you lose, you can try again. Life always gives you new opportunities.
“I like to think Arrigo’s legacy is reflected in those players who became excellent coaches. When I think about my Barcelona side, I am convinced that many of those players can follow my path. Xavi is already doing so and the same is true of Sergi Barjuan and Javier Mascherano. I am convinced Sergi Busquets will become an excellent coach as well.
“I feel Italian football is more attacking-minded nowadays. Many coaches prefer to attack rather than wait for something to happen or an error from the opponent. They want to be protagonists. Milan and Napoli‘s recent Serie A titles were won thanks to the organisation and philosophy that sees players ‘move with the team, for the team and across the whole pitch all the time,’ to quote Arrigo.
“If I think of Luciano Spalletti, Maurizio Sarri and Roberto De Zerbi, who is doing exceptional work here in England, but also the high pressing and the movements shown by Stefano Pioli, there are great examples who suggest the future will be bright [in Italy]. I don’t know if Arrigo is as optimistic as I am, but he’ll surely be happy that many coaches today have learned his lesson.”
Sacchi retired from coaching in February 1999 after winning, among other trophies, one Serie A title, two European Cups – now Champions League – two European Super Cups and two Intercontinental Cups.
He literally didn’t say anything about Italy.
Nice click bait.
he is talking that way because italy never bsats spain