Manchester United versus Manchester City is massive. Huge. The dynamic between the managers, and the superstars on show on the pitch means that this is a match the whole world is covering.
It’s safe to say this is the most previewed match between Manchester United and Manchester City in memory, and the celebrity, and perhaps cult, of managers has boosted that.
For many, it’s as much Jose Mourinho versus Pep Guardiola as it is Manchester United versus Manchester City. That the managers are at rival clubs playing in the world’s most covered football league is a perfect storm.
Added to that is the quiet time of the football year, the transfer window has just closed, and a less than thrilling international break replaced it. There’s not an awful lot to write about… but Manchester United versus Manchester City has come to the rescue.
French newspaper L’Equipe have a big feature on the match in their Friday edition, and they’ve spoken to Catalan journalist Marti Perarnau.
Perarnau has written two books on Guardiola, and for the second he spent two weeks a month living in Munich, seeing the manager every day.
The journalist believes that the rivalry between the two men is overplayed, because Guardiola isn’t bothered one bit: “This is not someone who talks a lot of other coaches, but even when he does it’s not bad, we discussed Klopp, Tuchel, Tale, Ancelotti…
“Mourinho, however, we have talked about him only once. It was just before the European Supercup in August 2013, between Bayern and Chelsea. He spoke of him in very correct terms. He said he’s an excellent coach.”
On whether the match between Manchester United and Manchester City will have extra significance for Guardiola because of Mourinho, Perarnau explained: “No… of course not. He does not give importance to it.
“If he loses, he will give defeat the same importance as if it were against Stoke City, and if he wins, he will be glad of the three points earned… Of course, Manchester United are a great team and to beat them is still a great result, but not because there is Jose Mourinho opposite. If it was Van Gaal, it would be the same.”
We’ll have to take your word for that Marti.
