Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has hit back at critics linking his team’s dominance solely to financial muscle, stressing that spending does not diminish the hard work and tactical discipline behind success.
Speaking in defence of his long-time friend and Arsenal boss, Mikel Arteta, Guardiola argued that titles are not simply “bought” with money, as rival narratives often suggest.
“I want to say to my friend Mikel Arteta, if he wins the title it will be just because he spent, not because he worked a lot or his players,” Guardiola said pointedly. “It’s like Liverpool. If Arne (Slot) win again, it will be because he spent a lot of money, right? Because it’s not just Man City that happened, right? Listen, for many, many years every club can do whatever he wants.”
Guardiola acknowledged that clubs are treated differently in public debates about spending, but emphasized that teams like Arsenal and Liverpool have made wise investments to reach Europe’s elite level.
“All I can say is they have been wise. They spent what they believe they can do, you know, to compete against the best teams in the Premier League and Europe, and they’ve reached that level,” he concluded.
The City boss’s comments reflect growing tensions in the Premier League over financial narratives, as rival managers continue to trade jabs on what truly defines modern football success.
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