query: who did pep guardiola manage before manchester city

pos: Pep Guardiola four to five hours per day, responding impressively at his first press conference there. Guardiola supports the political independence of Catalonia. In 2015, he confirmed that he would participate in the pro-independence coalition Junts pel Sí in that year's regional parliamentary election. Barcelona B Barcelona Spain U23 Individual Barcelona B Barcelona Bayern Munich Manchester City Individual Citations Bibliography Pep Guardiola Josep "Pep" Guardiola Sala (; born 18 January 1971) is a Spanish professional football coach and former player who is the manager of club Manchester City. Guardiola was a creative and technically gifted defensive midfielder who usually played in a

pos: Pep Guardiola wins, two draws, and two losses in the FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and the German Super Cup. In non–official competitions, he went a combined six wins, one draw, and one loss. On 1 February 2016, Manchester City signed Guardiola to a three-year contract for the start of the 2016–17 season. Manchester City lost Guardiola's first pre-season match 1–0 to Bayern Munich. On 13 August 2016, Manchester City won his first 2016–17 Premier League season match 2–1 against Sunderland. On 11 September 2016, Guardiola won his first Manchester derby as a manager in a 1–2 victory; this was

pos: History of Manchester City F.C. (2001–present) 0-0 in Manchester, before City fell 1-0 in Madrid. On 28 February 2016, City won the League Cup after beating Liverpool on penalties at Wembley to secure their third trophy under manager Manuel Pellegrini. Nonetheless, City sacked Manuel Pellegrini and brought on Pep Guardiola, the decorated former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss. In spite of joining city with much hype, Pep's first season at Manchester City was underwhelming. City finished third, behind champions Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur. City was knocked out of the Champions league in the round of 16 by Monaco in a 12 goal thriller. City won 5-3

pos: Pep Guardiola principle of swiftly winning the ball back following a turnover of possession remains at Bayern Munich and Manchester City. This pressing tactic has influenced the tactical approach of other managers such as Mauricio Pochettino and Jürgen Klopp as well as those in other sports such as rugby. As high pressing has become a greater part of football, Guardiola evolved the idea of countering an opponent's pressing by ensuring his goalkeeper and defenders are comfortable on the ball and capable of retaining possession to counteract. At Manchester City, he evolved this idea one step further by utilising the fact players cannot

pos: Pep Guardiola a sabbatical period, Bayern Munich announced Guardiola would join the club as manager in 2013. In his first season at the club, he won four trophies, including a double of Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal. Guardiola won seven trophies during his three-year tenure in Germany; winning the Bundesliga every season he was there, as well as two domestic doubles. He left the "Bavarians" for English club Manchester City in 2016, and guided them to a Premier League title in his second campaign in charge, breaking numerous domestic records as the team became the first to attain 100 league points. Guardiola is regarded

pos: Manchester City F.C. season. Manchester City won the 2017–18 Premier League title. The club had the highest point total in Premier League history and broke numerous Club and English league records in that season. Pep Guardiola, former manager of Barcelona and Bayern Munich, is the current manager, who has been in charge since the dismissal of Pellegrini in 2016. Manchester City's home colours are sky blue and white. Traditional away kit colours have been either maroon or (from the 1960s) red and black; however, in recent years several different colours have been used. The origins of the club's home colours are unclear, but

pos: FIFA Club World Cup records and statistics 2008 as a member of Manchester United, Toni Kroos appeared in 2013 as a member of Bayern Munich, and both appeared in 2014, 2016, and 2017 as members of Real Madrid. Rafael Benítez and Pep Guardiola have the record number of participations in the FIFA Club World Cup final. Benitez took part in 2005, 2010 and 2012, and Guardiola in 2009, 2011 and 2013. Ramon Tribulietx has the record number of years as manager in the FIFA Club World Cup, taking part in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Auckland City have the record number of matches played

pos: İlkay Gündoğan July 2015, he signed a contract extension to keep him at the club until 2017. On 2 June 2016, Gündoğan signed a four-year contract with Premier League side Manchester City, for an estimated fee of £20 million. He was the club's first signing under former Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola. He made his debut on 14 September, playing for the first time in four months in a UEFA Champions League group stage game at home to Borussia Mönchengladbach. City won 4–0, and he won a penalty which was converted by Sergio Agüero. Three days later, Gündoğan started and scored with

pos: Mario Götze the reason behind Götze's transfer to Bayern was the playmaker's wish to play under manager Pep Guardiola, formerly of Barcelona. Klopp admitted his annoyance at the timing of the announcement of Götze's move, as it was barely 36 hours before Dortmund's Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid. Klopp later said that Dortmund had no chance of convincing Götze to stay with Dortmund, as he claimed, "He [Götze] is a Pep Guardiola favourite." On 11 August 2013, Götze made his Bayern Munich debut, coming on as a substitute for Mitchell Weiser in the 60th minute. Götze netted two goals to help

pos: Pep Guardiola result in City creating a scoring opportunity. Guardiola was born to Dolors and Valentí. He has two older sisters and a younger brother, Pere, a football agent. He is non-religious. Guardiola met his wife when he was 18. They married on 29 May 2014. They have three children named Maria, Màrius and Valentina. Following his tenure as Barcelona's manager, he stated that he would move to the United States to live in Manhattan, New York, for a year, until he decided on his future. To prepare for his upcoming position as the manager of Bayern Munich, Guardiola practised German for

pos: Manuel Estiarte his fellow athletes in the Olympic Village to represent them in the Commission of Active Athletes. He was also a member of the International Olympics Committee from 2000 to 2006. From July 2008 until June 2012, he was involved in external relations at FC Barcelona. He was also Pep Guardiola’s personal assistant at Bayern Munich from 2013 to 2016, and holds the same position with Guardiola at Manchester City FC. Estiarte’s official title at the Premier League club is Head of Player Support and Protocol. Estiarte was one of three born to parents in Manresa, Spain, with a brother named

pos: Pep Guardiola Abidal as a full back, meaning Guardiola did not play even one central defender in the 5–0 victory. This he repeated four years later in Bayern Munich's 3–0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen, when he fielded a back three consisting of David Alaba, Philip Lahm and Xabi Alonso. Although there are some spectators who assume the primary reason for the 3–4–3 was because he was short on defenders, in a later Champions League match against Milan at the Camp Nou, he employed this tactic with most of his players available for selection. As manager of Bayern Munich, he also employed a

pos: Carlo Ancelotti take a year off and undergo an operation for his spinal stenosis. He later relocated to Vancouver, Canada. On 20 December 2015, Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirmed that Ancelotti would replace Pep Guardiola as manager for the 2016–17 season, signing a three-year contract. His contract started on 1 July 2016. His first training session was on 11 July 2016 and his first match was a pre–season win against SV Lippstadt 08. His first match at Allianz Arena was a 1–0 pre–season win over his predecessor Guardiolas's Manchester City. Bayern participated in the International Champions Cup. In the first match,

pos: 2014 DFB-Pokal Final and beat 1. FC Kaiserslautern 5–1, with the goals shared between Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos, Müller, Mandžukić and Mario Götze. Bayern Munich were without Thiago due to a knee ligament injury that he received in March. The Saturday before the final, midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger strained a tendon in his left knee against VfB Stuttgart, ruling him out. Bayern's top scorer of the season, Mario Mandžukić, was dropped from the team and did not travel to Berlin to the final. Manager Pep Guardiola said "Basti is injured, a problem with his knee. Mandzukic is my decision. He was fit, he could

neg: Pep Guardiola Pep Guardiola Josep "Pep" Guardiola Sala (; born 18 January 1971) is a Spanish professional football coach and former player who is the manager of club Manchester City. Guardiola was a creative and technically gifted defensive midfielder who usually played in a deep-lying playmaker's role. He spent the majority of his career with Barcelona, forming a part of Johan Cruyff's "Dream Team" that won the club's first European Cup in 1992, and four successive Spanish league titles from 1991 to 1994. He later captained the team from 1997 until his departure from the club in 2001. After leaving Barcelona, Guardiola

neg: City Football Group currently playing in the Uruguayan Primera División. On August 23, 2017, it was announced that the City Football Group had acquired 44.3% of La Liga side Girona. Another 44.3% was held by the Girona Football Group, led by Pere Guardiola, brother of Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. Girona had previously been loaned a number of players by Manchester City while they were in the Segunda División, in what was seen by some as an attempt to attract Pep Guardiola to Manchester City. In August 2018, Girona had two loanees, both 21 years old, from Manchester City. In line with the

neg: Manuel Pellegrini League in the round of the last 16 for a third successive time, following a 3–1 aggregate defeat to Barcelona. On 7 August 2015, Manchester City announced that Pellegrini had signed a one-year contract extension, which would keep him with the club until June 2016. Pellegrini commented, "I am proud to manage Manchester City FC and am therefore very pleased to have agreed to this contract. On 1 February 2016, Manchester City confirmed Pellegrini would be leaving in June, at the end of his contract, and that Pep Guardiola would be taking over for the 2016–17 season. Pellegrini left Manchester

neg: John Stones just go ‘ah, that’s why he’s regarded as the best.’ He doesn’t seem to get fazed by anything and always seems calm and he never hides". Manchester City and England teammate Kyle Walker added "You don't quite appreciate him until you are playing alongside him. He rarely gets beat, he is great on the ball and he is very calm and level-headed." He developed his ball-playing style early in his career with many crediting Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola for his later development. His range of passing has led to comparisons with Rio Ferdinand, Gerard Piqué, Jérôme Boateng, Pep Guardiola

neg: Pep Guardiola leg of the competition's first round, Guardiola missed a penalty in the 19th minute, hitting the crossbar, but then converted his second penalty of the game in the 73rd minute. In 2005–06, he turned down offers from a number European sides, such as Manchester City, Manchester United, and Chelsea, as he felt his playing career was coming to a close. In 2006, Juan Manuel Lillo was appointed the manager of Mexican club Dorados de Sinaloa. Lillo recruited Guardiola to play for the club while he was in managing school in Axocopán, Atlixco, Puebla. Guardiola played with Dorados de Sinaloa for

neg: Mikel Arteta the U16 European Championships, and, in addition, he would have required five years of education in Britain before turning 18. On 3 July 2016, Arteta was appointed to join Manchester City as a joint assistant coach, alongside fellow co-assistants Brian Kidd and Domènec Torrent, and manager Pep Guardiola. In May 2018, Arteta became strongly linked to become the successor to his former manager Arsene Wenger, but instead, saw the job be awarded to Unai Emery. On 19 September 2018, as a result of Guardiola serving a touchline ban, Arteta was Manchester City's de-facto manager in a 2–1 Champions League loss

neg: Phil Foden fees being paid for by Manchester City. On 6 December 2016, City head coach Pep Guardiola included Foden in the matchday squad for the Champions League group stage match with Celtic; he was an unused substitute in the 1–1 home draw. Guardiola said of Foden: "It’s dangerous to say good things about young players because they are still young, and they have to grow and they have to learn many, many things … But we have a lot of confidence to help him, because we believe he is a guy who has potential, even if he’s not strong, he’s not

neg: FC Barcelona and reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey, both times losing to the eventual champions, Manchester United and Valencia, respectively. The day after a 4–1 defeat to Real Madrid, Joan Laporta announced that Barcelona B coach Pep Guardiola would take over Frank Rijkaard's duties on 30 June 2008. Barcelona B youth manager Pep Guardiola took over Frank Rijkaard's duties at the conclusion of the season. Guardiola brought with him the now famous tiki-taka style of play he had been taught during his time in the Barcelona youth teams. In the process, Guardiola sold Ronaldinho and

neg: Pep Guardiola side Manchester City. The club signed Adriano from Sevilla, David Villa from Valencia and Javier Mascherano from Liverpool. On 14 July 2010, Guardiola signed a new contract to stay with Barcelona until June 2011. On 21 August, Barcelona beat Sevilla 5–3 on aggregate to win the 2010 Supercopa de España, his second in a row. On 29 November 2010, Barcelona beat Real Madrid 5–0, giving Guardiola five straight wins in "El Clásico". On 8 February 2011, Guardiola accepted the club's offer for a one-year deal extension, signing a contract until June 2012. On 16 February, in the first leg Champions

neg: Brian Kidd Brian Kidd Brian Kidd (born 29 May 1949) is an English football coach and former player, who is currently the co-assistant coach of Manchester City, alongside fellow co-assistant Mikel Arteta and manager Pep Guardiola. Kidd was also assistant to Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson from 1991 to 1998. In this role he was pivotal in the development of a group of young footballers known as Fergie's Fledglings. Kidd's first spell as assistant manager of Manchester City came under manager Roberto Mancini, who moved Kidd from the youth setup to become his sole assistant manager. After one year, Kidd became a

neg: Paul Pogba favour of Scott McTominay, including Manchester United's 2–1 victory over rivals Liverpool and was only used as a late substitution as his side were eliminated from the Champions League in the round of 16 by Sevilla in March. The day before the Manchester derby, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola claimed that Pogba's agent, Mino Raiola, had offered Pogba to play for his side, which Raiola denied. In the derby at Etihad Stadium on 7 April, Pogba scored two goals in quick succession as Manchester United came back to defeat their rivals 3–2 after conceding two goals in the first half.

neg: Pep Guardiola also his sixth win against his "rival" manager José Mourinho. By the end of September 2016, Guardiola had won all of his first 10 matches in charge of Manchester City and were top of the Premier League table with a four-point advantage over second-placed Tottenham Hotspur, but lost his first match as City manager, 2–0 against Tottenham Hotspur but remained one point clear in the league table ahead of the international break. After the international break and a home draw on 23 October 2016, Guardiola tied his record of going five games without a win. City's poor run continued into

neg: Brian Kidd the Cup and the league but it is only a good start. There is a long way to go." Manchester United Individual Brian Kidd Brian Kidd (born 29 May 1949) is an English football coach and former player, who is currently the co-assistant coach of Manchester City, alongside fellow co-assistant Mikel Arteta and manager Pep Guardiola. Kidd was also assistant to Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson from 1991 to 1998. In this role he was pivotal in the development of a group of young footballers known as Fergie's Fledglings. Kidd's first spell as assistant manager of Manchester City came under

neg: Pep Guardiola finally declared that he would stay after his dedication in training and participation in the pre-season. In association with Barcelona Director of Sport Txiki Begiristain, several new signings were made by Guardiola – Dani Alves and Seydou Keita arrived from Sevilla; Martín Cáceres from Villarreal by way of Recreativo de Huelva; Gerard Piqué returned from Manchester United; and Alexander Hleb was signed from Arsenal. Henrique was also signed from Palmeiras, but was immediately loaned out to Bayer Leverkusen. In interviews with the press, Guardiola stressed a harder work ethic than before, but also a more personal approach during training and

neg: Richard Wright (footballer) a third stint at Ipswich and a brief time at Preston North End, he joined Premier League champions Manchester City on a free transfer in 2012. After four years at City, during which he did not play at all, he announced his retirement in May 2016. He remained with City as a coach under new manager Pep Guardiola. He was a member of the England squad, earning two caps, and was included in their squad for UEFA Euro 2000. Wright was born in Ipswich, Suffolk and signed a professional contract with Ipswich Town on 2 January 1995 after serving his

neg: Manchester derby first derby of the 2015–16 campaign, contested at Old Trafford, ended in a 0–0 draw. This was the first time the derby had ended without any goals since 2010. United won the second derby of the season, hosted at the City of Manchester Stadium, after Marcus Rashford scored the only goal of the game at the 16-minute mark. Both clubs had managerial changes prior to the start of the 2016–17 campaign, with José Mourinho taking over Manchester United and Pep Guardiola taking over Manchester City. City took the bragging rights that season, winning 2–1 at Old Trafford on 10 September

neg: Pablo Zabaleta Zabaleta reached 200 appearances for Manchester City in the club's 4–0 victory over Crystal Palace. Zabaleta made 32 appearances in all competitions in the 2016–17 season scoring two goals; against Watford in the Premier League and against Huddersfield Town in the FA Cup. His final appearance for Manchester City came on 16 May 2017, a 3–1 home win against West Bromwich Albion. After the game he was praised by the City manager, Pep Guardiola, as a "legend". Zabaleta was given a lifetime season ticket for Manchester City and a shirt that read “Zabaleta 333”, to mark the number of City

neg: Girona FC semi-finals by Real Zaragoza, despite winning the first leg 3–0. The next season, they reached the play-off final but were defeated by Osasuna. Girona finally earned promotion to La Liga after the 2016–17 season as they finished runners-up to Levante. This was the first time that Girona had ever been promoted to La Liga in their 87 year history. On 23 August 2017, it was announced City Football Group (CFG) had purchased 44.3% ownership in Girona. Another 44.3% was held by Girona Football Group, led by Pere Guardiola, the brother of CFG-owned Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. On 29 October

neg: 2016–17 Manchester City F.C. season 2016–17 Manchester City F.C. season The 2016–17 season was Manchester City's 115th season of competitive football, 88th season in the top division of English football and 20th season in the Premier League since the league was first created with City as one of the original 22 founder-members. They competed in all three domestic competitions, as well as the UEFA Champions League for the sixth year in a row. In conjunction with the recruitment of Pep Guardiola, the manager whom City's executives had sought to hire since they joined the club four years previously and the man synonymous with the style

neg: Glad All Over fans trying to get it to Christmas number one in 2016. The song finished 31st on the UK Christmas charts, but topped the Scottish Singles Chart. When Pep Guardiola became manager of Manchester City in 2016, their fans adapted the song so that in place of "I'm feeling glad all over" they sang "Cos we've got Guardiola". It's particularly popular with their travelling supporters. It was released as a single by Australian band Hush in 1975 and reached number 8 on the Australian singles chart. It was also included on their 1975 album "Rough Tough 'N' Ready". It was covered

neg: 2018 EFL Cup Final League. The match was Manchester City's sixth League Cup Final, and their third in five seasons – qualification for the final also marked the first time Pep Guardiola reached a final with Manchester City. For Arsenal, the final was their eighth total in the competition, and their third of Arsène Wenger's managerial reign. The EFL Cup is a cup competition open to clubs in the Premier League and English Football League. It is played on a knockout basis, with the exception of the semi-finals, which are contested over a two-legged tie. Manchester City, a Premier League club involved in the

neg: 2017–18 Manchester City F.C. season second one away from home at Bristol. On 24 August 2017, Manchester City were drawn into Group F alongside Shakhtar Donetsk, Napoli and Feyenoord. The club topped their group in the group stages and were handed a round of 16 two legged tie against Basel from the Swiss Super League. In December 2017, Pep Guardiola became the first manager in Premier League history to be awarded four consecutive "Manager of the Month" awards. Inaugural award to the Premier League Player with the most league assists in the season. Manchester City's player of the season. Summer: £210.35m Winter: £57m Total: £267.35m

neg: 2016–17 FC Bayern Munich season Allianz Arena, located in Munich, Germany. The season covers a period from 11 July 2016 to 30 June 2017. Bayern won the double in the previous season after winning a record-setting fourth consecutive and 25th overall Bundesliga title (26th German title) and 18th DFB-Pokal title. Manager Pep Guardiola did not extend his contract, and decided to move to Manchester City. Carlo Ancelotti was announced as his replacement in December 2015. In addition, Bayern hired Paul Clement as their assistant coach. Hermann Gerland was also kept as an assistant coach, after also having been an assistant under Louis van Gaal, Jupp

neg: 2017–18 Manchester City F.C. season in a 4–2 Champions League away victory over Napoli to become the club's all-time leading goalscorer, surpassing the previous total by Eric Brook. On 25 February, City won their first silverware of the Pep Guardiola era, beating Arsenal 3–0 at Wembley Stadium to win the 2017–18 EFL Cup. On 15 April, City were confirmed as Premier League champions following Manchester United's 0–1 defeat at home to West Bromwich Albion. This was their third Premier League title and fifth English top flight title at the time and also completed their second league and League Cup double in 4 years. City broke

neg: Radamel Falcao players. Former Barcelona and current Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola described him as "sensational" and as one of the most talented in the world. Before his ACL injury Fabio Capello considered him to be on the same level as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Former Atlético Madrid teammate Gabi said in 2012 that he thought Falcao was the best at heading the ball in the world. In his prime (pre ACL injury sustained in 2014) he was often considered one of the best strikers in the world. Falcao is a second generation footballer, with his father Radamel García having played

neg: Marcelo Bielsa Martino, Mauricio Pochettino, Diego Simeone, Matías Almeyda, Eduardo Berizzo, Mauricio Pellegrino and Marcelo Gallardo. Current Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola credited Bielsa as his tactical inspiration and called him the "best manager in the world" in 2012. Jorge Sampaoli, former manager of Argentina, Sevilla FC and Chile, has been described as a "disciple" of Bielsa. A fanatic of football videos that he adds to his collection, Bielsa, on occasion, checks pitch measurements by pacing them out before deciding on a particular formation. He allocates separate training times for different parts of his squad. Former Argentina national team captain Roberto Ayala,

neg: Pep Guardiola be offside from a goal kick and ensured a goalkeeper with the necessary kicking force to kick the length of the pitch in signing Ederson. If opponents pressed City high in their back third from a goal kick, it was not uncommon that Manchester City strikers would run deep into the opponent's back third. By doing this it forced opponents back to mark the strikers who could not be offside, thus creating large space in the middle of the pitch for the goalkeeper to chip the ball over the opposition's aggressive high press, at the same time this would often

neg: Cesc Fàbregas to train with Barcelona one day per week. Eventually Fàbregas joined Barcelona's academy full-time. His initial training was as a defensive midfielder playing alongside notable names such as Gerard Piqué and Lionel Messi. Although he was a prolific scorer, sometimes scoring even more than 30 goals in a season for the club's youth teams, he did not manage to play a first-team game at the Camp Nou. During his time at Barcelona's youth academy, Fàbregas idolised Barcelona's then-captain and number four Pep Guardiola, who would later give Fàbregas his shirt as consolation when Fàbregas' parents divorced. Sensing that he would

neg: Wilfried Bony 2015, joined Manchester City in a £28 million deal. However, Bony struggled for match-time at Manchester City, and following the arrival of Pep Guardiola in mid-2016, he joined Stoke City on loan for the 2016–17 season. Bony returned to Swansea on 31 August 2017. A full international since 2010, Bony was selected in the Ivorian squads for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, helping them to victory in the 2015 edition. Wilfried Bony was born in Bingerville and played street football from a young age, later playing at the Maracanã Bingerville football school. He

neg: José Mourinho to Manchester City; this was also his eighth loss against his rival manager while with Real Madrid, former Barça manager Pep Guardiola. On 23 October 2016, Mourinho made his first visit back to Chelsea with Manchester United since leaving in December 2015. The match ended in a 4–0 defeat which left them six points off the top of the table. Mourinho won his second Manchester derby as a manager on 26 October 2016 in a 1–0 victory at Old Trafford in the EFL Cup. Juan Mata scored the only goal of the game in the 54th minute, with the victory

neg: Lee Johnson (footballer) 2017–18 EFL Cup, beating several Premier League clubs including José Mourinho's Manchester United. They exited the competition after a 3–2 defeat (agg. 3–5) to Manchester City; manager Pep Guardiola praised Johnson for his side's style of play. He is the son of football manager Gary Johnson and has played for him at Yeovil and Bristol City. At the time of his appointment as Oldham manager three members of his family were chief scouts at football clubs. Soon after he was appointed Oldham manager, father and son managed opposing sides when Oldham played Yeovil in April 2013. The match ended 1–0

neg: Pep Guardiola the EFL Cup with a 1–0 defeat to Manchester United. City's loss meant that he was without a win in his last six games in all competitions, his worst run of form in his managerial career. Manchester City lost to Everton 4–0. This was his biggest loss in domestic action. Guardiola's City were eliminated in the last 16 of the Champions League by Monaco on away goals after a 6–6 aggregate draw. The second leg of the tie was his 100th game as a manager in European competition, and he arrived at that mark with the best record of any

neg: Raheem Sterling City overtook Juventus in the final group standings. On 20 March 2016, he suffered a groin injury in a 1–0 loss to rivals Manchester United, and was ruled out for 8 weeks. Sterling eventually lost his place in the starting lineup. He failed to feature in any of the most effective performers of the 2015–16 season, and was considered one of the worst signings of the season. Sterling appeared regularly for Manchester City under Pep Guardiola for the opening matches of the 2016–17 season. He was Premier League Player of the Month for August 2016 after he scored two goals

neg: Yellow ribbon arrest and to seek broader European support for their cause; as well as Marta Rovira (leader of ERC) and Anna Gabriel (leader of CUP) who fled to Switzerland. More than 53% of Catalans consider their leaders to be political prisoners and almost 80% opposes their detention. In the other hand, some anti-independence and Spanish parties define them as putschists. FC Barcelona ex-player and coach, and current Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, is one of the most notable figures who has been wearing it. Some times, the yellow ribbon is also used to show support for other individuals that push for

neg: Steve Price (coach) is Australian former gold medalist sprinter Matt Shirvington. In May 2014, following several embarrassing defeats to start the season, Price was dismissed as head coach of the Dragons, and replaced by assistant coach, Paul McGregor, who was eventually employed full-time. Price resides in the Southern Sydney suburb of Caringbah. He is the brother of WBU Cruiserweight boxing champion Danny Price. In an interview with the BBC in October 2018, Price admitted to being a supporter of Manchester City, with a particular admiration of Pep Guardiola. Steve Price (coach) Steven Price (born ) is the head coach of the Warrington Wolves

neg: UEFA Team of the Year Chelsea Source: Players who played for two teams during the voting year have the club they transferred to during a transfer window listed second. Coach: José Mourinho: Chelsea Source: Coach: Frank Rijkaard: Barcelona Source: Players who played for two teams during the voting year have the club they transferred to during a transfer window listed second. Coach: Alex Ferguson: Manchester United Source: Players who played for two teams during the voting year have the club they transferred to during a transfer window listed second. Coach: Alex Ferguson: Manchester United Source: Coach: Pep Guardiola: Barcelona Source: Players who played for two

neg: Reactions to the Catalan independence referendum, 2017 805, including companies like Codorníu Winery, established in 1551, which moved to La Rioja, or the airline Volotea, that relocated their headquarters in Asturias. FC Barcelona played their weekend La Liga match against Las Palmas behind closed doors, partially due to safety purposes, as well as in protest. Former member, and now Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola backed Gerard Piqué's criticism of the Spanish government's treatment of those who were trying to vote. He also urged the Spanish to learn from the British and allow Catalonia to vote in saying: "You can be in agreement with him or not but

neg: 2016–17 FC Barcelona season one each from Luis Suárez and Messi, the latter who returned from injury in the match. On 19 October, Barcelona defeated Manchester City – led by former Barça manager Pep Guardiola – 4–0 at home on the strength of a Messi hat-trick. On 22 October, Barcelona defeated Valencia 2–3 at Mestalla, Messi spot-kick in injury time secured three points out of an electrifying encounter. On 29 October, Barcelona won against Granada 1–0 in the 1,500th game at Camp Nou, Barça found it tough to breakdown the stubborn visitors but Rafinha's strike was enough to claim the win. On 1 November,

neg: 2017–18 Bristol City F.C. season Johnson said Bristol City were a ""Premier League club in training"." Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola praised Bristol City and Lee Johnson after the two-legged affair: ""It was a nice game, beautiful game, and all my credit to Bristol City. Big congratulations. He [Johnson] came here to try to play. They arrived, they created chances"". After a goalless draw against Nottingham Forest, Bristol City could no longer mathematically reach the playoffs, ending their chances of promotion. A 3-2 home loss to fellow mid-table side Sheffield United on the last day of the season saw City eventually finish 11th. While this

neg: Premier League Manager of the Season 2004 known as the Barclays Manager of the Season. In 1994, the inaugural Manager of the Season award was given to Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson for retaining the league championship. The current holder of the award is Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. The most number of awards won by a single manager is eleven, achieved by Alex Ferguson between 1994 and his retirement in 2013. He accounted for more than half of the awards in that period of time. In 1998 Arsène Wenger became the first non-British manager to win the award, and has so far received it on

neg: Claudio Bravo said "If I were to say that I'm taking it well, I would be lying, but I accept it". On 25 August 2016, Bravo signed a four-year deal for English club Manchester City for a reported fee of £17 million. He made his debut on 10 September in a 2–1 triumph over local rivals Manchester United, being at fault for the opposition's goal and receiving widespread criticism for his performance, although manager Pep Guardiola said that he had "one of the best performances I've ever seen". On his return to the Camp Nou on 19 October 2016, in a Champions

neg: City Football Group by City Football Group teams while under the ownership and control of the group: Mirroring CFG's dedication to an identifiable cross-club brand via similar kits is the principle of "the City Way", a concept whereby all teams which play under their banner, regardless of continent or competition, can be seen to play according to a prototype style based on passing, possession and attacking philosophy largely derived from the tactics used by Barcelona when under the control of now-Manchester City trio Pep Guardiola, Ferran Soriano and Txiki Beguiristain. While "the City Way" has come to be understood to include a high

neg: Pep Guardiola particularly in the goalkeeper and full back position. He made three major acquisitions in the summer transfer window in goalkeeper Ederson Moraes and wing-backs of Benjamin Mendy and Kyle Walker, while dispensing of all the current senior full backs at the club in Aleksandar Kolarov, Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna and Pablo Zabaleta. Additionally, he also signed Bernardo Silva from Monaco and Danilo from Real Madrid. On 25 February, City beat Arsenal 0–3 to win the Carabao Cup, this was Guardiola's first trophy with City. On 15 April, City were confirmed as Premier League champions following Manchester United's 0–1 defeat at

neg: 2017–18 Liverpool F.C. season leg of the quarter-finals at the Etihad against Manchester City on 10 April. City needed at least three goals, and they found one almost immediately from Gabriel Jesus in just the second minute. The Reds seemed slightly wobbled, and chances from Bernardo Silva and a goal ruled offside from Leroy Sane highlighted that. Following the half, however, with City manager Pep Guardiola sent to the stands during the break, Liverpool found their away goal in the 56th from Salah, and another in the 77th from Firmino. The Reds would win 1–2 and advance 5–1 on aggregate to the semi-finals. Liverpool

neg: Pep Guardiola Barcelona announced that he would be succeeded by Tito Vilanova, who would begin leading the first team at the start of the 2012–13 season. After his time at Barcelona came to an end, Guardiola took a year's sabbatical in New York City. On 7 January 2013, he came in third place for the 2012 FIFA World Coach of the Year, behind the winner Vicente del Bosque and runner-up José Mourinho. While at a news conference at the 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or gala in Zürich, Guardiola said, "I have taken a decision to return to coaching but beyond that no decision

neg: Pep Guardiola match at the Santiago Bernabéu. He was undefeated in his first seven matches in the stadium. Guardiola took the blame for the loss. Philipp Lahm, however, insisted "it was a collective failure and not the fault of coach Guardiola." "kicker Sportmagazin" "singled out" Guardiola as "the key to the crisis." He finished the 2013–14 season by winning the DFB-Pokal 2–0 in extra–time. Pre–season started on 9 July 2014 with the first friendly match on 18 July 2014. Mario Mandžukić was sold to Atlético Madrid because he believed that the "playing style of coach Pep Guardiola simply does not fit him."

neg: Pep Guardiola manager, 61 wins and 23 draws. This was one draw better than the previous record holder, his former manager at Barcelona, Louis van Gaal. Guardiola finished the season with no trophies – the only time he has finished a season without a trophy. He stated mid-season that the coaching role at City "might be his last team" as manager and stated not winning a trophy, of the four available to City, constituted a "failure". However, he articulated his desire to improve the following season. Guardiola identified the defensive areas which required improvement for City to challenge for the league title,

neg: Jesús Navas helping the club win the fourth national championship in its history. Navas returned to the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium on 3 November 2015, playing the full 90 minutes in a 3–1 win in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League and assisting Wilfried Bony in the last goal. Late in the 2016–17 campaign he was reconverted by new manager Pep Guardiola into a right back, and from that position he contributed with two decisive passes in a 3–1 home success against Hull City on 8 April 2017. On 25 May 2017, Manchester City announced Navas would be leaving the

neg: Vincent Kompany 37 injuries since joining Manchester City in 2008 and had missed over two years (878 days) in that eight-year period. By April 2017 he had recovered, and scored in a victory over Tottenham Hotspur, commenting on his issues that "The main thing is self-belief and experience". Manager Pep Guardiola kept Kompany in the team for the FA Cup semi-final, and he played the entirety of the match which went to extra time; City lost the tie to eventual winners Arsenal, finishing 2016–17 without a trophy. Kompany appeared just 15 times during the campaign, although his continued importance to the team

neg: Kevin De Bruyne On 31 January, he scored and assisted in a 3–0 win over West Bromwich Albion, and was voted BBC "Man of the Match". On 10 February, he provided three assists, two for Sergio Agüero and one for Raheem Sterling, in a 5–1 win over Leicester City, taking his assists tally to 14. On 25 February, he started in the 2018 EFL Cup Final against Arsenal, and played the whole 90 minutes, with Manchester City winning 3–0 to obtain their first piece of silverware of the 2017–18 season, and their first trophy overall under Pep Guardiola. On 31 March, he provided

neg: Pep Guardiola home to West Bromwich Albion. After finishing the season with a record-breaking 100 points, Guardiola signed a new contract with City until 2021. During Guardiola's third season as manager, City signed Riyad Mahrez from Leicester City for a fee of £60 million, a club record. On 5 August, City began the season with a 0–2 victory over Chelsea and won the 2018 FA Community Shield. Under Guardiola's predecessor Frank Rijkaard, Barcelona were known for a 4–3–3 with plenty of flair with Ronaldinho being the centre point of the attack. Under Guardiola, however, the team became more disciplined with a greater

neg: Pep Guardiola Stamford Bridge put Barcelona through, with an ecstatic Guardiola celebrating the goal by sprinting down the touchline near to where his players were celebrating. In the final of the Champions League, Barcelona beat Manchester United 2–0. In doing so, they became the first Spanish club to win the domestic cup, the league, and the European club titles (the treble) in the same season. The treble-winning season is regarded as one of the club's finest in its history Furthermore, he became the youngest man to coach a Champions League winning team. During Guardiola's second season as manager, Barcelona swapped Samuel Eto'o

neg: Pep Guardiola a number of Coppa Italia games and Champions League games, finishing with 71 games in Italy. After his career with Brescia and Roma, in 2003, Guardiola chose to play in Qatar with Al-Ahli from Doha in the Qatar Stars League, where many fellow greats were playing, such as Gabriel Batistuta. He had rejected another offer from Manchester United, as he wanted to play elsewhere. He became a regular in the Qatar Stars League, often cited as one of the best players in the League. He also participated in the 2004–05 Arab Champions League with the club, and in the first

neg: Éric Abidal 2009 Champions League Final against Manchester United after picking up a red card in the semi-final against Chelsea: the referee deemed Abidal to have fouled countryman Nicolas Anelka and denying a scoring opportunity, although video evidence suggested that any contact was minimal; again through suspension he also did not dress up for the decisive match of the Copa del Rey, as the team won the treble. In 2009–10, Abidal continued to be the starter for the Pep Guardiola-led side, even after the arrival of Maxwell from Internazionale. He scored his first goal on 5 January 2011, netting at the San

neg: Pep Guardiola six months before retiring. Guardiola made his senior debut on 14 October 1992 in a 0–0 draw with Northern Ireland at Windsor Park in a World Cup qualifier. In the same year, Guardiola captained Spain when they won a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympic Games. It was in this year when he won the Bravo Award, which recognizes the world's best player under the age of 21. Between 1992 and 2001, Guardiola played over 47 times and scored five goals for the senior Spain team. He was a member of the Spanish team during the 1994 World Cup, where

neg: FA Community Shield us it must be important" ahead of his side's clash with Arsenal, the team that had denied his club the double the previous season. Likewise in 2018, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola referred to his side's clash with Chelsea in the competition as "the first final" of the season. For purposes of clarity, venues mentioned in "italics" in this section no longer exist. Since 1974, the Community Shield has been at a permanent home rather than guest venues. The fixture was originally played at various neutral grounds or the home ground of one of the teams competing. In total there

neg: Pep Guardiola Celta de Vigo. Guardiola played 479 games in 12 seasons for the first team, winning 16 trophies. At the press conference after the Celta game, he said, "It's been a long journey. I'm happy, proud, happy with the way people treated me and I have made many friends. I cannot ask for more. I have had many years in the elite. I did not come to make history but to make my own history." A number of future Barcelona midfielders, including Xavi, Andrés Iniesta and Cesc Fàbregas, have hailed Guardiola as their role model and hero. After leaving Barcelona in

neg: Johan Cruyff trophies, Cruyff was Barcelona's most successful manager, but has since been surpassed by his former player Pep Guardiola, who achieved 15. Cruyff was also the club's longest-serving manager. In his final two seasons, however, he failed to win any trophies, falling-out with chairman Josep Lluís Núñez, who ultimately sacked him as Barcelona coach. While still at Barcelona, Cruyff was in negotiations with the KNVB to manage the national team for the 1994 World Cup finals, but talks broke off at the last minute. As well as representing Catalonia on the pitch in 1976, Cruyff also managed the Catalonia national team

neg: Frank Rijkaard Arsenal in the final. Barcelona had been losing 1–0 for most of the match before his late tactical substitutions proved the decisive factor, as the introduction of Henrik Larsson and Juliano Belletti contributed directly to Barcelona's two goals. The win made him the fifth individual to have won the European Cup both as a player and as a manager, alongside Miguel Muñoz, Giovanni Trapattoni, Johan Cruyff and Carlo Ancelotti, a feat later achieved also by his eventual successor, Pep Guardiola and then Zinedine Zidane. After losing to Manchester United in the semi-final of the 2007–08 Champions League, Rijkaard was asked

neg: 2009 UEFA Champions League Final to play in the match. Meanwhile, midfielder Darren Fletcher was forced to miss the final after picking up a red card in the second leg of the semi-final. While replays showed that Fletcher played the ball before felling Cesc Fàbregas in the penalty area, the UEFA appeals process only allows for cards to be rescinded in the case of mistaken identity. Despite this, an appeal was submitted by Manchester United on "compassionate" grounds. Barcelona decided to appeal against the suspensions of Abidal and Alves after United lodged an appeal against Fletcher's red card. Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola came out in

neg: Manuel Estiarte Albert and a sister named Rosa. All three siblings were involved in high-profile athletics. Rosa Estiarte committed suicide in 1985 by jumping out of a window in their fourth-floor family home, which Manel witnessed. Manel is married and has two children, including a daughter named Rebecca. In 2009, Estiarte released his autobiography, entitled "All My Siblings", in which he recounts his personal and professional life, including the death of his sister Rosa. Estiarte and Pep Guardiola, current manager of Manchester City FC, have known each other since the early 1990s. The pair met on the final day of the 1991-1992

neg: 2016 DFB-Pokal Final took place in 1966, where Bayern won 2–0 in the qualification round, 1981, where Bayern won 4–0 in the third round, 1992, where Dortmund won 5–4 on penalties in the second round as the match finished 2–2 after extra time, and 2013, where Bayern won 1–0 in the quarter-finals. This makes for a total of five wins for Bayern, and one win and two penalty shoot-out wins for Dortmund. The game was Bayern coach Pep Guardiola's final match, after three years in charge of the team. Guardiola will go on to replace Manuel Pellegrini at Manchester City. For Dortmund manager

neg: 2016–17 FC Bayern Munich season hamstring injury, ruling him out for six weeks. On 20 July, Bayern faced Manchester City and former manager Pep Guardiola at home. Bayern won the match 1–0 after a goal from Erdal Öztürk in the 76th minute. Bayern's third pre-season friendly took place on 23 July against SpVgg Landshut. Bayern won 3–0 with goals from Franck Ribéry, David Alaba, and Daniel Hägler. In March 2016, Bayern announced they would participate in a summer tour (referred to as the "2016 Audi Summer Tour") in the United States as part of the International Champions Cup, after success with their previous US visit

neg: United States Soccer Federation head coach and USMNT Head Coach Bruce Arena and Manchester City manager and former FIFA World Coach of the Year Pep Guardiola, have expressed beliefs that the top-down structure of soccer developed and managed by the USSF in the United States, including pressure to have the best American players in MLS rather than higher-quality leagues in other countries, is hampering the nation's competitiveness in international soccer. Conversely, Klinsmann has been criticized in turn by MLS representatives for recommending that American players leave MLS development systems to pursue professional careers in Europe in order to test themselves against higher levels of

neg: Pep Guardiola League. In doing so, Guardiola became the youngest manager to win the aforementioned European competition. The following campaign, he led Barcelona to four trophies, including winning his second Spanish league title as manager. In 2011, after leading the club to another La Liga and Champions League double, Guardiola was awarded the Catalan Parliament's Gold Medal, their highest honour. The same year, he was also named the FIFA World Coach of the Year. In Guardiola's final season at Barcelona, he again won four trophies, before departing in 2012. He ended his four-year Barcelona stint with 14 honours, a club record. After

neg: Pep Guardiola On 6 August 2014, Bayern played in the 2014 MLS All-Star Game in Portland, Oregon. The all-star team was led by Timbers Coach Caleb Porter. The match ended with Bayern losing 2–1 to the All-Star squad. Separate incidents involving "harsh challenges" by Osvaldo Alonso and Will Johnson visibly enraged Guardiola and after the match he refused to shake Porter's hand. One of the tackles injured Bastian Schweinsteiger. Bayern lost the German Super Cup 2–0 to Borussia Dortmund. He had declared before the match that "every final is important, especially in Dortmund a bit more." Guardiola used a 3–4–2–1 system in

neg: Ylli Sallahi team. On 5 April 2014, Sallahi made his Bundesliga debut, starting away to FC Augsburg, after head coach Pep Guardiola decided to rest some of the players of the first team for the UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Manchester United. He was substituted after 51 minutes for David Alaba as Bayern, who were already league champions, lost 1–0. On 19 December 2014, effective 1 January 2015, Sallahi signed a contract with Karlsruher SC which runs to June 2018. He left the club after the 2016–17 season. In January 2014, Sallahi refused to play for Albania, whereas in May of that

neg: 2009 Republic of Ireland v France football matches being in place. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was of the opinion that "every player and manager in the world" thinks that "technology can play a part" to help referees, but recognised that it was FIFA who had to be convinced. Henry's club manager of Barcelona, Pep Guardiola said as Henry returned to training in Spain that he "is not proud to have done that, but it wasn't premeditated", and gave guarded support for use of video refereeing. German Robert Huth expressed sympathy with the Irish, but on the merits of a replay, contrasted the lack of a replay

neg: 2011 UEFA Champions League Final liver, was given the honour of wearing the captain's armband during the trophy presentation ceremony. He was the first player to lift the trophy. Speaking afterwards, Abidal, who was in tears, appreciated the gesture, and spoke of how "special" his club was. Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola singled out Messi after the game, stating the Argentine was "the best player [he'd] ever seen" and that Messi "made the difference" in the game. Meanwhile, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson acknowledged that the Barcelona side was the best team he had ever faced. His sentiments were echoed by United captain Nemanja Vidić

neg: 2009 UEFA Champions League Final a clash of heads with Messi when going for a header. That was to be the final act of the match, as referee Massimo Busacca blew for full-time as soon as Xavi took the free kick. At the final whistle, Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola offered his commiserations to each of Manchester United's players, while former Manchester United defender Gerard Piqué talked with his erstwhile teammates. Both teams then retreated to either end of the stadium to applaud their fans. While match referee Massimo Busacca and his assistants collected their mementoes of the final, the Barcelona team formed a guard of

neg: Viva la Vida they could possibly be involved in, which no football club has managed before in history. The song was selected by the manager of the club, Pep Guardiola – himself a Coldplay fan – to help motivate and encourage his team. It was often played at the Camp Nou before the start of a Barcelona match. The song was also played during Pep Guardiola's farewell before his final match coaching Barcelona at the Nou Camp, a 4–0 victory against Espanyol on 5 May 2012. UEFA used "Viva la Vida" as the goal celebration song for the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final

neg: 2009 UEFA Champions League Final – a song based on "Earth" from the soundtrack to the film "Gladiator" – before Bocelli sang supporting vocals to the UEFA Champions League Anthem. Before they emerged from their dressing room, manager Pep Guardiola played the Barcelona team a specially commissioned seven-minute film showing their best moments from the season interspersed with clips from the film "Gladiator". The film culminated with the late Luciano Pavarotti's version of "Nessun Dorma", and it left several of the players in tears. With his players motivated for the game, Guardiola said nothing as they emerged into the tunnel. Two Barcelona players missed the

neg: Premier League Manager of the Month and Newcastle United, Brendan Rodgers with Swansea City and Liverpool, Alan Pardew with West Ham United and Newcastle United, Sam Allardyce with Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United, Tony Pulis with Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion, Mauricio Pochettino with Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur, and Claudio Ranieri with Chelsea and Leicester City. Fourteen managers have won awards in consecutive months: Joe Kinnear, Kevin Keegan, Roy Evans, Alex Ferguson, Arsène Wenger, David O'Leary, Stuart Pearce, Paul Jewell, Rafael Benítez, Carlo Ancelotti, Manuel Pellegrini, Claudio Ranieri, Antonio Conte and Pep Guardiola. Guardiola is the only manager in Premier League history to have

neg: Pep Guardiola Super Cup, defeating longtime adversary José Mourinho, who had just returned to coach at Chelsea. Bayern beat ten-man Chelsea in a shoot-out after Manuel Neuer saved Romelu Lukaku's kick. In December 2013, Guardiola won his third Club World Cup after beating Raja Casablanca in Morocco. On 25 March 2014, he led Bayern to their 23rd Bundesliga title by beating Hertha BSC 3–1 at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. With seven matches remaining in the season, it was the earliest the championship had been won in Bundesliga history, breaking the record Heynckes' Bayern had set in the previous season. Guardiola broke Karl-Heinz

neg: Domènec Torrent Domènec Torrent Domènec Torrent Font (born 14 July 1962) is a Spanish professional football head coach and former player. He is currently head coach of Major League Soccer's New York City FC. Born in Santa Coloma de Farners in Girona, Catalonia, he played as a midfielder for UE Olot and AD Guíxols in the 1980s before becoming a coach. He enjoyed periods as head coach of lower division sides Palafrugell, Palamós, and Girona. After managing Girona, he united with Pep Guardiola as his assistant at Barcelona. The duo initially took charge of Barcelona B, the club's reserve team, before the

neg: Kingsley Coman was his eighth club trophy before his 20th birthday. Coman made only 25 appearances in all competitions during the season. Coman had problems with injuries and couldn't force himself into the starting lineup like he did last season. Coman scored only two goals in his appearances. On 27 April 2017, it was announced that Bayern exercised their option to sign Coman, with the player signing a contract until 2020. During the season, Coman played a lesser role than under last season's manager, Pep Guardiola. At the end of the season, Coman said in an interview with France Football, "I was

neg: Roger Bennett (journalist) made a documentary "Inside the Mind of Arsene Wenger" about Arsene Wenger. In 2016, he made a documentary "Inside the Mind of Pep Guardiola" about Pep Guardiola. In 2016, he made a report with VICE Sports about Iceland's rise in soccer called "The Vikings' Shocking Euro Run: The Unbelievable Rise of Icelandic Soccer". In 2016, he made a documentary with Vice Sports called "Das American: Christian Pulisic's Spectacular Rise" about Christian Pulisic. In 2017, he made a documentary "NEVER LOSE FAITH: THE SUNDERLAND AFC STORY" about Sunderland AFC. In 2017, he made a documentary "Tottenham Hotspur To Dare is to

neg: Leroy Sané scored in a 4–1 win in the FA Cup third round over Burnley. On 14 January, he scored in a 4–3 defeat to Liverpool. Nine days later, on 23 January, he scored in a 3–2 away win over Bristol City, securing advancement into the League Cup final, in which he played 77 minutes before being substituted off as City won 3–0 over Arsenal to clinch their first trophy under Pep Guardiola. On 1 March, five days following the win in the final, he scored against Arsenal in a 3–0 league away win. On 31 March, he scored in a 3–1

neg: Wilfried Bony Delph in City's final fixture of the Champions League group stage, against Borussia Mönchengladbach. He helped turn a 2–1 deficit into a 4–2 win, assisting two goals for Raheem Sterling before scoring the fourth goal, ensuring City overtook Juventus in the group standings. Bony scored 8 goals in 34 appearances in 2015–16. Following the arrival of Pep Guardiola as manager, Bony was made available for transfer. On 31 August 2016, Bony signed for Stoke City on a season-long loan deal. He made his debut for Stoke on 10 September against Tottenham Hotspur. After going seven matches without a goal, he

neg: Frank Rijkaard May 2008, the day after Barcelona's dismal 4–1 defeat to archrivals Real Madrid, Barcelona president Joan Laporta announced that at the end of the 2007–08 season, Rijkaard would no longer be head coach of the first team. Laporta made the announcement after a board meeting, and Rijkaard was succeeded by Pep Guardiola. Laporta made it clear that Rijkaard's achievements "made history" and praised him for his time at the club. On 5 June 2009, Rijkaard signed a two-year contract to manage the Turkish Süper Lig team Galatasaray, following the resignation of Bülent Korkmaz two days earlier. He was sacked on

neg: Pep Guardiola their Tercera División group and qualified for the 2008 Segunda División B playoffs, which the team won, thereby achieving promotion. FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta announced in May 2008 that Guardiola would be appointed manager of the senior Barcelona squad to replace Frank Rijkaard at the end of the 2007–08 season. According to a 2013 biography of Michael Laudrup, he and not Guardiola was Laporta's first choice. Upon being appointed, Guardiola said that Ronaldinho, Deco, Samuel Eto'o and others were not part of his plans for the coming season. By the time of the announcement, he had already offloaded full

neg: Pep Guardiola of the season, Barcelona rejected offers from Roma and Parma (of around 300 million pesetas) for Guardiola. After prolonged and complicated contract talks, he signed a new contract with the Catalan club that extended his stay until 2001. Guardiola returned to action the following season and Barcelona once again won La Liga, thanks largely to the performances of Rivaldo and Luís Figo. On 8 June 1998, Guardiola underwent surgery to try to resolve his lingering calf injury, which had caused him to miss the 1998 FIFA World Cup for Spain. A largely disappointing 1999–2000 season again ended in surgery, with

neg: Jonathan dos Santos first-team players were given breaks towards the end of the year. This meant the first team was going to be a few men short, and hence four Barça B players were called up by Guardiola on 29 December 2009. Among these four were Dos Santos, Thiago, Gai Assulin and Víctor Vázquez. His La Liga debut came on 2 January 2010 when he started against Villarreal CF before being substituted by Iniesta in the 60th minute. Dos Santos was called up by Pep Guardiola to the Barcelona first team during pre-season along with other players from Barcelona B. In the first

neg: Gai Assulin 2007–08 season, Barcelona B won the league title with 83 points, and the manager, Pep Guardiola, was promoted to the job of senior team manager. Assulin was rumored to be one of the players that Guardiola would promote to the first team. After missing most of the 2008–09 season due to injury, Assulin received an invitation to participate in pre-season matches with the Barcelona first team. He made his debut first-team start in a competitive match of the Copa del Rey against Cultural Leonesa on 28 October 2009, before being replaced by Éric Abidal after 56 minutes. Due to the

neg: 2002–03 A.S. Roma season 2002–03 A.S. Roma season Associazione Sportiva Roma crashed down to earth following its previous two remarkable seasons, where it had won Serie A in 2000–01 and finished a close second in 2001–02. Despite the acquisition of Pep Guardiola as central midfielder, he did not apparently fit into Fabio Capello's first-team plans. The squad was essentially the same as the year before, and Guardiola's absence from the starting XI spoke volumes about the reputation of the Roma players at the time. However, things began to go against Roma following its tense competition in Serie A with Juventus. Suspecting things were amiss,

neg: Billy O'Brien (footballer) club in a defeat to Hednesford Town. In the latter half of 2016, O'Brien played in the Premier League 2 as part of Manchester City's squad and was also selected by manager Pep Guardiola to travel with the first team on a number of occasions including as a backup keeper against Celtic in the Champions League. O'Brien went on loan until the end of the season to St Mirren in January 2017. He became a regular starter for the club, keeping a clean sheet on his debut against Dundee and playing in the final of the Scottish Challenge Cup. O'Brien