[ad_1]
José Mourinho (Getty Images)
Pep Guardiola has rejected the rival’s suggestions Jose Mourinho that Manchester city it could have influenced Raheem Sterling’s retirement from England this week.
England striker Sterling was released from Gareth Southgate’s team ahead of Wednesday’s clash against Iceland to return to City due to a calf injury.
Tottenham manager José Mourinho has complained that Southgate has listened too easily to the concerns of certain club managers and has asked the England boss to identify those he has spoken to.
Mourinho, speaking at a press conference on Friday, deliberately added “we all know Sterling will play” when City face his Spurs side in the Premier League on Saturday.
The city manager, Guardiola, has denied there is anything adverse in Sterling’s retirement and insists that doctors would confirm it if necessary.
He said: “Mourinho has to speak to the England national team doctor and Manchester City doctor. Except maybe Mourinho is a doctor, I don’t know.”
Guardiola, speaking at his pre-match press conference, refused to enter into a war of words with Mourinho.
The pair had a bitter and fierce rivalry when they respectively managed Barcelona and Real Madrid, but were at least more cordial when Mourinho was in charge of neighboring Manchester United.
And it was clear that Guardiola did not want to rekindle tensions now when asked about Mourinho’s recent comments that City players pounce too easily.
“Listen, I’m not going to answer anything about José,” said the Spaniard. “I told the doctor because he accused us of something, we have done it that is not true.
“You have to talk to the doctors about these other things, don’t ask me.
“I’m almost 50 years old. I’m old enough to understand …”
Guardiola, who has won six major trophies, including two Premier League titles in four years at City, signed a new contract this week that commits him to the club until 2023.
The new deal has immediately sparked speculation linking City to Lionel Messi, with whom they were strongly linked during the Argentine’s contract showdown with Barcelona last summer.
But Guardiola, who won the Champions League twice with a Barça that contained Messi, said: “Lionel Messi is a Barcelona player. I want him to finish his career there. That’s what I want. I said it a thousand times. As a fan of the Barcelona I want Leo to end there “.
However, whether or not City’s future includes six-time world player of the year Messi, the club believes they are a much more attractive proposition with the inspiring Guardiola in charge.
Soccer director Txiki Begiristain told the City’s official website: “We already have an incredible team. We have a lot of top players.
“But the life of the squad is always changing. There are some players who ask to leave, there are other players who want to come. There are players who think they want to play more than the others.
“So, this is the natural life of a squad. So what is very, very good for the club and for my job is having Pep.
“It is quite easy to convince the players to come because Pep makes the players better. They can see an improvement and that is obvious and that helps to sign the players for Manchester City.”
– TEAMtalk Media
