Ex-Arsenal and Manchester City defender Bacary Sagna highlights differences between Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola

Former Arsenal and Manchester City defender Bacary Sagna has detailed the key differences between Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola as managers.

“Arsene is like our dad! He’s very caring.”

“Pep was very demanding. He doesn’t care about taking players out. No matter who!”

@SagnaOfficial compares what it was like playing under Wenger and Guardiola. 👀 pic.twitter.com/vaEg39y4iK

The retired French international spent seven years at the Emirates playing under the French manager, who once described him as one of the best right-backs in the Premier League.

Sagna's time with Guardiola, however, was rather short. The former Manchester City defender joined the club in 2014 but left in the summer of 2017, one season after the Spanish boss arrived at the club.

Sagna has now opened up about the differences in their management styles, comparing Wenger to a father figure, while claiming Guardiola was very demanding.

The former Arsenal defender said on talkSPORT:

"It's a pity to compare them, they're totally different. Arsene is very close to us, he's like our dad . Very caring, always trying to understand when we make a mistake. He just talked to us and tried to build back the confidence."

He added:

"I think we were 1-0 down many times, when Arsene Wenger was at Arsenal and we came back because of the way he was, because of the confidence he gave us, because he was always positive. As a player, you see it watching on the field, he was a warm coach."

Sagna also described Pep Guardiola as a very demanding coach.

"Regarding pep, he was very demanding, tactically very demanding. When we are on the pitch, when we are off the pitch, he was fully dedicated to football. He doesn't have any specific time when he can speak about football. No matter the time and no matter the day, whenever he has to say something, he will say it."

He continued:

"He won't even bother about taking players out, no matter who he is, if he's not having the right mental spirit. His problem at Barcelona, he did it when he came to Man City with Aguero. Aguero was a top striker but he put him on the bench because he was expecting more defensively from him. So i think he's a fair coach."

The two managers are considered amongst the best coaches to ever grace the sport. Wenger spent an exceptional 22-year period at Arsenal that included the iconic Invincibles season during the 2003/04 campaign when they won the Premier League unbeaten.

Guardiola is one of the best managers in the game, winning the treble with Manchester City as well as Barcelona, amongst many other accolades.

"Two different generations" - Former Arsenal and Manchester City defender details key differences between Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola

Another former Arsenal and Manchester City defender, Gael Clichy, has compared that two great managers. The Frenchman, who played under both Wenger and Guardiola at the two respective Premier League outfits, told Tivibu Spor (as quoted by GOAL):

"Two different generations. Arsene had two assistants and a goalkeeper coach. Pep had eight or nine coaches working with him."

Man City hit 1000 goals in all competitions under Pep Guardiola on Wednesday, the quickest a coach has done so in the Premier League era:

Pep Guardiola: 404 games
Arsène Wenger: 554 games
Sir Alex Ferguson: 601 games

😤 pic.twitter.com/yXewOGiuxp

He added, comparing football in different eras:

"Nowadays details are very important. In the past, if you had the best player you won most of the games. Clubs with smaller budgets tried to make it difficult for the big boys. You had to take care of your health, your lifestyle. You had to sleep well, eat well, work well. The club spending money is very important in football these days."

Clichy further stated on the Manchester City boss:

"Pep Guardiola had strict rules but it's very normal. For example, if you were two kilos heavier than normal, you didn't train! You just ran and worked separately from the team."

Guardiola ended the last season with a historic English treble, the only manager to do since Sir Alex Ferguson achieved the feat back in the 1999-00 season.