Be Careful, Praise Can Weaken Potential Opponents

Pep Guardiola and Zinedine Zidane (Twitter @City_Chief)

MANCHESTER - Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano believes in the fact that Pep Guardiola is the best coach in the world. But on the other hand, he admits that it is difficult to argue with Zinedine Zidane's record of achievement at Real Madrid.

Guardiola won five major trophies in his first three seasons at the Etihad Stadium. Including wiping out the domestic trophy last season.

This season, City seems unlikely to defend their Premier League title. In the standings, Sergio Aguero et al are 14 points behind Liverpool after losing 2-3 to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday.

WEARETHEFOURMIDABLES🔵 #mancity 🏆🏆🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/xBwgNUd2vC

- Manchester City (ManCity) May 18, 2019

Meanwhile Zidane, is now back in charge of Madrid after leaving in the summer of 2018. In his first period of coaching at the Santiago Bernabeu, Zizou won three consecutive Champions League trophies.

While Soriano agrees with Zidane's recent praise of calling Guardiola the best coach, the City CEO has expressed his admiration for the French legend.

"In Zidane's case, the results speak for themselves, as in Pep's case," Soriano told the Globe Soccer Awards. Launch Soccerway, Sunday, December 29.

"There are all the titles he has won in La Liga, Bundesliga, Premier League. For me, Guardiola is the best coach in the world because he is our [coach]," he continued.

It's just that City has never won the Champions League. And this season they will face tough challenges because they have to play against Madrid in the last 16.

Round of 16 draw 🔥Sum up your reaction with a GIF 📱 # UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/fkdBCoX7v6

- UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 16, 2019

The first leg will be held at the Santiago Bernabeu on 26 February. It's still a long time, but Soriano has been able to provide an assessment by saying that the difference in quality between the two teams is very small.

"You look at them and wherever you look - the quality of the players, the money invested, the salaries we pay - these are two great teams who are very balanced," he said.

"It is impossible for one team to be much superior to the other - it will depend on how these two games go.

"As is usually the case in the Champions League, the match can depend on small details, defensive errors or mistakes of the referee, which can be decisive."