Pep Guardiola Snubbed for Carlo Ancelotti as ‘Better Man Manager’ by Ex-Premier League Star Ahead of Real Madrid vs Manchester City Clash

Between Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti, the pair has won a staggering 7 UEFA Champions Leagues! The managerial duo ranks in the Top 2 for winning Europe’s coveted club competition the most times. But who among them is the better manager? Owing to his Tiki-Taka days with FC Barcelona and ruthless domination of the most popular league in the world with Manchester City, many believe that the Spanish genius is the best in the business. However, an ex-EPL star begs to differ and is in the Italian’s camp citing his ability to get the best out of players.

Veteran West Ham United goalie and pundit Shaka Hislop on ESPN FC was answering the question of which manager he would like to play for among Pep Guardiola & Ancelotti. Hislop answered, “For me, while there’s absolutely no wrong answer to this I think Ancelotti.” He added, “Between the two, Ancelotti gives me the impression as being the better man manager so that’s who I’m drawn to more.” Why is man-management such a crucial aspect for Hislop? It stems from his time playing under Harry Redknapp’s watch.

The pundit had played under the English manager from 1998 to 2001 for the Hammers. Regarding working with Redknapp, Hislop said, “Harry made me feel wanted, made me feel appreciated and just somehow was able to say the right thing at the right time.” Ultimately, this got the best out of the former Trinidad and Tobago star. During his EPL stint, he kept a crucial 58 clean sheets in 221 appearances.

Speaking of management skills, Pep Guardiola will have a chance to prove Hislop wrong as Manchester City face off against Real Madrid on April 09. How does the Spaniard feel regarding the anticipated draw? Guardiola insists that he doesn’t have another option.

Pep Guardiola reacts to facing the ‘Kings of the Competition’

With 14 UCLs, Real Madrid is undoubtedly the team to beat in the UEFA Champions League. For Pep Guardiola, the Spanish giants have been a regular sight in recent years, facing them in 2023 and 2022. How does he feel regarding facing them for a 3rd consecutive time? The Manchester City boss said, “It looks like a little bit of a tradition, three years in a row playing the kings of the competition. Hopefully, we arrive in a good moment.” Unlike the previous meetings, this time there is a serious concern for the defending Premier League champions.

Their defense. The Sky Blues have conceded 28 goals in the same number of league games this season. This doesn’t seem that bad until you take reference to previous seasons. For instance, the tally last season was 33 goals in 38 matches while in 2021/22 it was a startling 26 goals across the whole campaign!

With Real Madrid boasting a serious counter-attacking threat with the likes of Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, and Rodrygo, the defending champions will have to tighten up. Otherwise, their chances of retaining the UCL title, let alone the treble look slim.

Read More: How Pep Guardiola Stopped Bayern Munich From Signing Kevin De Bruyne? Fernandinho Reveals Shock Incident Involving Manchester City Star