Mikel Arteta has admitted he has a lot of respect for Pep Guardiola after the Manchester City manager vowed war with the Gunners manager following recent comments.
Arteta He recently spoke about his time with the city’s refuse staff, offering a cryptic answer which many assumed was a dig at the Premier League champions’ legal battle over alleged breaches of financial regulations.
Guardiola was unimpressed with his former assistant, asking him to clarify his comments or risk starting a “war” between the two title-chasing sides.
“I can repeat it very clearly, I love Pep, I’ve admired him since I was 10 years old,” said Arteta after Arsenal’s 4-2 win over Leicester. “I respect him deeply, I am very grateful for everything he did for me and continues to do for me, I consider him a friend.
“I love and respect all the staff there because I worked with them for four years, and when I say I know them, I mean I know how they work. I have never seen a human being work as hard as Pep. , and the coaches and everyone at this football club to be constantly winning, and the reason they are there is because they keep that hunger and that’s exactly what I learn and exactly what I want to say.
“It can’t be any clearer than that. If you want I can repeat it, if someone wants to damage a relationship that’s out of my hands. That feeling runs deep, he knows it, the staff knows it. I still stand with them today, with the board, with the property, with everyone and otherwise, it wouldn’t be genuine and it is.
“They have it (success) even if they want it more than anyone, we have to learn and it has to be inspiring for us and it is for me and that’s what I want to say because I’ve been there. It’s remarkable and it’s an incredible achievement because they have that mindset. We hope that’s clear.”
