"I became a coach for Guardiola because I loved his Barcelona" - Premier League manager makes incredibly honest confession
Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi heaped praise on Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola after their Premier League clash on Wednesday, May 24.
The Seagulls were excellent at the Amex Stadium against the league champions as the two teams played out a 1-1 draw. Phil Foden opened the scoring for the visitors in the 25th minute, getting an assist from Erling Haaland.
Julio Enciso then equalized for Brighton, scoring a sensational strike from outside the box into the top corner. Both sides had more chances to score throughout the game but failed to capitalize on them.
With the win, the Seagulls secured their place in next season's UEFA Europa League, adding another feather to De Zerbi's cap. The Italian manager has done an excellent job since joining the club in September last year after Graham Potter's departure.
He has led Brighton to their best-ever Premier League finish, as they currently sit sixth in the league. Ahead of their clash against Manchester City, Pep Guardiola lauded the Italian for his impact at Brighton.
After the game, De Zerbi reciprocated the admiration, saying (via Sports Mole):
"I became a coach for Guardiola because I loved his Barcelona. I studied him a lot. I don't want to copy no-one but I took [ideas] when I started to be a coach. Pep is number one."
Guardiola had a world-class spell with Barcelona from 2008 to 2012. He won a treble with the Catalan giants and led them to three La Liga trophies and two UEFA Champions League titles, among other honors.
The Spanish tactician had another successful spell with Bayern Munich before moving to Manchester City in 2016.
Brighton secure Europa League spot as Manchester City shift focus after Premier League win
Along with title contenders Arsenal and Manchester City, Brighton have arguably been the most entertaining team to watch in the Premier League this season. Roberto De Zerbi's side have played some sensational football, beating the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal in the league.
Former manager Graham Potter led them to a ninth-place finish last season, marking their best-ever Premier League campaign. They have now topped it and are set to finish sixth this season.
Manchester City, meanwhile, have turned it up in the last couple of months en route to lifting their third Premier League title in a row. Their last league defeat came in February when they lost 1-0 away to Tottenham Hotspur.
Pep Guardiola's side won 12 league games in a row before their draw against Brighton, in which they rested many of their starters. They will end their Premier League campaign against Brentford, but their focus is bound to be on the two massive matches scheduled next month.
City will face Manchester United in the FA Cup final on June 3 and Inter Milan in UEFA Champions League final on June 10 as they chase an unprecedented treble.