MADRID – Andrés Iniesta can see it already. The Manchester City team coming to the Camp Nou for Wednesday’s Champions League match against Barcelona has quickly been infused with Pep Guardiola’s playing style.
Iniesta identifies his former coach’s fingerprints at City, with the English club one of the toughest teams to beat in Europe.
“Guardiola’s teams are a reflection of what he wants and, despite the short period in which he has been in command, City already carries his identity, his ball-possession style,” said Iniesta, who played under Guardiola for four years. “Manchester City is a top candidate to win this tournament. It’s part of a very small group of clubs that can win it.”
It will be the second time Guardiola returns to the Camp Nou as a coach. The former Barcelona player was with Bayern Munich in a loss in the Champions League semifinals two seasons ago.
“City has improved its game a lot,” said Barcelona defender Javier Mascherano, another player coached by Guardiola, who won 14 titles while in charge of the Catalan club from 2008-2012.
“Never in my life am I going to change the way I play football,” Guardiola said. “I can make a lot of mistakes but my teams play the way they want.”