Pep Guardiola reveals how Carlo Ancelotti helped his managerial career | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola expressed his admiration for Carlo Ancelotti as he revealed the Italian offered him a helping hand during his early years as a manager.

One of the most successful and respected coaches in world football, Guardiola enjoys a warm relationship with the Everton boss after being allowed to observe some of his AC Milan training sessions at the beginning of his own coaching career.

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The two men will lock horns on Saturday when Manchester City travel to Merseyside for an FA Cup quarter-final and whilst Guardiola will be hoping to get the better of his opposite number, he remains struck by his kindess.

“He has been manager of the best clubs in Europe - Milan, Juventus, Napoli, PSG, Madrid,” he said at his pre-match press conference.

“All places he had success. I know people talk about him as a manager and a person. He took care of me when I started. I visited him when he was at Milan.

“He allowed me to see one or two training sessions as well. We spoke a little bit about football and life, nothing special.

“Always off the pitch he is so gentle. I admire him a lot.”

WATCH: Guardiola braced for tough test against the Toffees

Ancelotti heaped praise on Guardiola’s side following our 3-1 Premier League win at Goodison Park last month.

The Toffees’ chief claimed City were ‘almost impossible’ to beat, but the Catalan is taking nothing for granted as we bid to reach the last four of the FA Cup.

“Different games, competition,” he added. “It's a final tomorrow, a few weeks ago it wasn't a final.

“Away, you have to realise how they play, how we can find spaces to attack, control set pieces because they have a master with Sigurdsson as a taker and tough players like Keane and Mina and Calvert-Lewin.

“The quality of players are there. They're doing well in the league, fighting for qualification for the Champions League.

“That shows how good they have done this season.”

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