The most used XI of Pep Guardiola's managerial career: Messi, Pique, De Bruyne...
Pep Guardiola is widely regarded as the best manager of his generation. He enjoyed incredible success throughout his time at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City and was blessed with incredible players throughout his managerial career.
"I was lucky to be at Barcelona, at Bayern and here I coach amazing players," Guardiola told ManCity.com.
But who have been his most trusted lieutenants since taking on his first coaching role with Barcelona B in 2007? We've taken a look at Guardiola's most-used XI of all time. You won't be surprised that this is an absolutely amazing team.
GK: EdersonVictor Valdes was Guardiola's loyal No.1 during his four years in charge of Barcelona, but Ederson recently overtook the former Spain international as the Catalan tactician's most-used goalkeeper.
While Guardiola was in no doubt who to choose between the sticks at Barcelona and Bayern, it was a problematic position on his Man City debut. He inherited Joe Hart but didn't trust him to play at fullback, while replacement Claudio Bravo was erratic and error-prone.
It was only after a year at the Etihad that Guardiola found his man. Brazil keeper Ederson arrived for £34million in the summer of 2017 and never looked back.
He made 284 appearances for City and was integral to their victory in winning four Premier League titles in the past five years.
AR: Kyle WalkerDani Alves was a key player for four successive seasons under Guardiola at Camp Nou, but now England international Walker is in his sixth campaign under Pep, having arrived alongside Ederson in 2017.
>The 32-year-old right-back remains a strong favourite.
DC: John StonesOne of Guardiola's first seven summer signings since joining Manchester in 2016, Stones hasn't always been the manager's first-choice option in the center of defence, but has worked hard to play a role throughout.
With 223 appearances for City, the 28-year-old has played more for Guardiola than any other centre-back. He remains under contract with the Etihad until 2026, so expect him to add a lot to that tally in the years to come.
CD: Gerard PiqueAs well as getting rid of Deco and Ronaldinho, one of the key decisions Guardiola made when he took over at Barcelona was to bring home La Masia graduate Pique.
The defender made his debut for his boyhood club under Guardiola in 2008. Pique's first 183 of 616 total appearances for La Blaugrana were managed by the Catalan.
The couple won everything together, but according to Pique, their relationship eventually soured.
“During the first three seasons we had a phenomenal relationship. I always revere Pep as a manager. But the truth is that it was an extremely difficult time,” he wrote in The Players' Tribune .
“He wanted his players to be obsessed with football 24/7, and at that point in my life I didn't understand that. confidence, and the crucial moment was when he decided not to play me against Real Madrid in the league.
"It was overwhelming for me. I started thinking, is that it? Is the dream of playing for Barca over? Is that how quickly it can go away?"
LB: Eric Abidal
After relying on Gael Clichy, Fabian Delph, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Joao Cancelo and now youngster Rico Lewis at Manchester City, you need to return to Barcelona to find Guardiola's most proven left-back.
>Abidal arrived at Camp Nou the summer before Guardiola was appointed and left a year after the coach.
It was during their time together that the France international was sidelined after being diagnosed with a liver tumour, but he miraculously returned to start what is arguably still Guardiola's magnum opus - the 2011 Champions League final victory over Manchester United.< /p>
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Pep Guardiola is widely regarded as the best manager of his generation. He enjoyed incredible success throughout his time at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City and was blessed with incredible players throughout his managerial career.
"I was lucky to be at Barcelona, at Bayern and here I coach amazing players," Guardiola told ManCity.com.
But who have been his most trusted lieutenants since taking on his first coaching role with Barcelona B in 2007? We've taken a look at Guardiola's most-used XI of all time. You won't be surprised that this is an absolutely amazing team.
GK: EdersonVictor Valdes was Guardiola's loyal No.1 during his four years in charge of Barcelona, but Ederson recently overtook the former Spain international as the Catalan tactician's most-used goalkeeper.
While Guardiola was in no doubt who to choose between the sticks at Barcelona and Bayern, it was a problematic position on his Man City debut. He inherited Joe Hart but didn't trust him to play at fullback, while replacement Claudio Bravo was erratic and error-prone.
It was only after a year at the Etihad that Guardiola found his man. Brazil keeper Ederson arrived for £34million in the summer of 2017 and never looked back.
He made 284 appearances for City and was integral to their victory in winning four Premier League titles in the past five years.
AR: Kyle WalkerDani Alves was a key player for four successive seasons under Guardiola at Camp Nou, but now England international Walker is in his sixth campaign under Pep, having arrived alongside Ederson in 2017.
>The 32-year-old right-back remains a strong favourite.
DC: John StonesOne of Guardiola's first seven summer signings since joining Manchester in 2016, Stones hasn't always been the manager's first-choice option in the center of defence, but has worked hard to play a role throughout.
With 223 appearances for City, the 28-year-old has played more for Guardiola than any other centre-back. He remains under contract with the Etihad until 2026, so expect him to add a lot to that tally in the years to come.
CD: Gerard PiqueAs well as getting rid of Deco and Ronaldinho, one of the key decisions Guardiola made when he took over at Barcelona was to bring home La Masia graduate Pique.
The defender made his debut for his boyhood club under Guardiola in 2008. Pique's first 183 of 616 total appearances for La Blaugrana were managed by the Catalan.
The couple won everything together, but according to Pique, their relationship eventually soured.
“During the first three seasons we had a phenomenal relationship. I always revere Pep as a manager. But the truth is that it was an extremely difficult time,” he wrote in The Players' Tribune .
“He wanted his players to be obsessed with football 24/7, and at that point in my life I didn't understand that. confidence, and the crucial moment was when he decided not to play me against Real Madrid in the league.
"It was overwhelming for me. I started thinking, is that it? Is the dream of playing for Barca over? Is that how quickly it can go away?"
LB: Eric Abidal
After relying on Gael Clichy, Fabian Delph, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Joao Cancelo and now youngster Rico Lewis at Manchester City, you need to return to Barcelona to find Guardiola's most proven left-back.
>Abidal arrived at Camp Nou the summer before Guardiola was appointed and left a year after the coach.
It was during their time together that the France international was sidelined after being diagnosed with a liver tumour, but he miraculously returned to start what is arguably still Guardiola's magnum opus - the 2011 Champions League final victory over Manchester United.< /p>
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