Guardiola also emphasized that the final is a significant moment for his players, highlighting it as a major test of their character.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has praised his opponents in this season’s Carabao Cup final, Arsenal, stating they are driven by the ambition to win major trophies after a long wait.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager made these comments during his media briefing ahead of the final on Sunday.
While hailing Arsenal, Guardiola described them as currently being among the top teams in Europe, acknowledging their team spirit, defensive solidity, and all-round tactical discipline.
“Arsenal control many aspects of the game. A long period without success creates a strong drive, and there is also great support and unity across the club,” he said.
“They decide when to sit deep, when to press, how to build from the back, when to play long, and how to contest second balls. They do so many things well. In the Champions League, they won all their group stage matches and drew against Leverkusen; it will be a major challenge for us to show our true level,” he added via the official Manchester City website.
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Guardiola emphasized that the final is a significant moment for his players, highlighting it as a major test of their character.
He added, “We have played at Wembley 22 times in the last 10 years; it’s an honour and a big challenge. For the team, it’s a massive moment. Whenever we reach a final, no matter who we are up against, it is always incredibly difficult. We see the level in Europe and other leagues. We must view this as a huge opportunity because you never know when it will come around again.”
Manchester City and Arsenal drew 1-1 when they met in the Premier League earlier this season at the Emirates Stadium.
Erling Haaland opened the scoring within the first 10 minutes before Gabriel Martinelli levelled for the Gunners in stoppage time.
