Guardiola refuses to play mind games

Pep Guardiola had the chance to trade barbs with Mikel Arteta before Manchester City met Arsenal in the English League Cup final on Sunday. He chose not to. Instead, the City manager shrugged off talk of rivalry and tactical gamesmanship.

Context matters, he said

Speaking on Friday, Guardiola pointed to wider issues beyond football. He said, "Look what’s happened around the world. We have an incredible chaos and nobody moves one finger. Everything is behind the scenes. The world is going to collapse and still we are here talking about dark arts."

That reference echoed a row from September 2024 when several City players complained after a 2-2 draw with Arsenal. Midfielder Bernardo Silva said Arsenal pushed “the limits of what was possible to do.” Defender John Stones said their approach can “break up the game which upsets the rhythm.” Full back Kyle Walker, who has since left City, described Arsenal’s tactics as “dark arts.”

Arteta and past connections

After those exchanges, Arteta replied cryptically that he had “all the information” about City thanks to his time working under Guardiola from 2016 to 2019. Guardiola asked Arteta to be clearer about what he meant at the time.

Now, with the League Cup final on the horizon, Guardiola said he was not interested in reopening that argument. He noted that officials are responsible for dealing with these matters and declined to turn the pre-match press conference into a drama.

Respect for Arsenal’s progress

Guardiola also praised Arsenal’s development. He highlighted the team spirit and solidarity that have helped Arsenal push for multiple trophies this season. Arsenal are leading the Premier League by nine points and have advanced to the quarterfinals of both the Champions League and the FA Cup.

He called them an exceptional team and said the final will be a big challenge for City to measure their level.

Arteta on their relationship

Mikel Arteta acknowledged that his relationship with Guardiola has changed because they now lead clubs that are direct rivals. Still, Arteta stressed that his respect for Guardiola and the influence Guardiola had on him remain intact. He said the time they spent together and the inspiration Guardiola provided will not be erased by on-field rivalry.