Pep Guardiola: Debate over Atletico Madrid style ‘stupid’; ‘I never judge opponents’

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has refused to get involved in a discussion about Atletico Madrid’s style of football ahead of the two sides meeting in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night.

The match has been billed as a clash of styles

between Guardiola’s usual possession-based free-flowing approach and Atletico boss Diego Simeone’s more rudimentary tactics.

But Guardiola said: “I’m not going to talk one second about this stupid debate. Everyone tries to win the game.

“If they win they are right, if we win we are right. It’s for the players, the difference will be there.”

Manchester United, meanwhile, were unable to overcome Atletico’s spoiling tactics in the previous round, but Guardiola refuses to refer to them as an ugly team.

He said: “We have to do the same, defend our position. It’s part of the game. I’m not going to judge what they do, I’ll analyse what to do to get a good result to go to Madrid next week.

“What is playing ugly? My team won in Old Trafford 1-0 and Bernardo Silva spent five minutes in the corner. That is not ugly, it’s defending the position.

“I never judge the opponents, what they do.”

Guardiola has also left people guessing about his tactics after saying he will “overthink” City’s clash with Atletico.

The City manager has often been accused of overthinking his plans following exits from the competition in previous years.

Pre-empting what criticism he could face if City again come up short, Guardiola claimed he will try out a new method against the La Liga champions.

He said: “In the Champions League always I overthink. New tactics, tomorrow you will see a new one.

“I overthink a lot, that’s why I have very good results in the Champions League. It would be boring if I always played the same way.”

Guardiola went on to joke about the situation at his pre-match press conference, leaving it unclear whether he was serious about the earlier part of his answer or not.

He said: “The movements are different, the players are all different with different personalities.

“That’s why I overthink and create stupid tactics. Tonight I will take an inspiration and I’m going to do incredible tactics tomorrow. We will play with 12 tomorrow!”

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