DUBAI // Carles Puyol says former manager Pep Guardiola simply needs time to prove a success at Manchester City.
The Spaniard, whose side face Liverpool in a crucial Premier League clash on Sunday, has endured a difficult first season in England, with City currently third in the table, 13 points off top spot.
Last week, they exited the Uefa Champions League at the last-16 stage, beaten 3-1 in the second leg by Monaco to crash out on away goals. It was the first time Guardiola failed to lead a team to at least the semi-finals.
However, Puyol, who secured three Primera Liga titles, two Champions League crowns and a pair of Copa Del Rey trophies during his time with Guardiola as his manager at Barcelona between 2008 and 2012, insists his former mentor will eventually get it right at City.
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“You have to give him time,” said Puyol on Saturday, on the sidelines of the du Football Champions grand final at Dubai Mall. “It’s a big project. It’s not easy when you arrive at a different league, with a different culture, a different mentality and at place where they are used to their own ways.
“I’m sure he will win titles with Manchester City and they will play Pep’s exceptional style of football. You have to take things step-by-step and be patient. You have to give it time and it’ll be successful.”
With close to 700 appearances for Barcelona during a 15-year spell at Camp Nou, Puyol is considered one of the club’s greatest defenders. He was part of a Champions League-winning side three times – twice as captain – in 2006, 2009 and 2011.
Despite retiring two years ago, Puyol watched this month’s unlikely last-16 turnaround against Paris Saint-Germain and says the manner of the 6-1 second-leg victory now makes Barcelona the team to beat in this season’s competition. They face Italian champions Juventus in the quarter-finals.
“After that comeback, Barcelona are considered favourites,” Puyol said. “After losing 4-0 they had a greater chance to be eliminated, but they believed they could do it, they fought for it and came back. Juventus are a very tough opponent. Barcelona have to play at a really high level to stop them.”
Irrespective of what remains this season – Barcelona are still involved in three competitions – they will soon have a new manager in place, with Luis Enrique to stand down in the summer. Assistant coach Juan Carlos Unzue has been tipped to replace him, while Athletic Bilbao’s Ernesto Valverde is another leading candidate.
Puyol, 38, knows Unzue well after working alongside the goalkeeping coach at Barcelona from 2003 to 2010 and then again in the 2011/12 season. Unzue became Enrique’s No 2 at Celta Vigo in 2013, before joining him at the Catalan club the following year.
“Definitely he has the chance to be able to, but I don’t have too much information at the moment, so I can’t say for sure,” Puyol said. “It’s not my job to be concerned with this. The directors will choose the right person to lead the club.
“There are important things to focus on right now. There are still many months ahead. It’s important to stay focused now to try and win all the titles.”
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