Gerard Pique has explained the key differences between Pep Guardiola and Sir Alex Ferguson.
The Spain and Barcelona legend joined talkSPORT Drive in the studio on Wednesday to discuss his new seven-a-side league in Barcelona, the Kings League, as well as his illustrious career.
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Pique lived every football fan’s dream during his careerCredit: Getty
Amongst his World Cup and European Championship wins with his country in 2010 and 2012 respectively and lifting numerous domestic trophies, Pique had the honour of being coached by two iconic managers – Ferguson and Guardiola.
Pique, who hung up his boots in 2022, began his career at Barcelona, but moved to Manchester United’s academy in 2004 and quickly progressed into Ferguson’s first-team.
The centre-back remained at Old Trafford for four years, winning the League Cup in 2006 and the Champions League and Premier League in his final season in 2007/08.
That summer, he returned to Barcelona who were led by current Manchester City manager, Guardiola.
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Like most fans, Drive host Andy Goldstein was keen to know whether the pair’s styles were similar, or completely different – and Pique revealed it was more the latter.
However, it wasn’t style of football that set them apart.
“At that time it was very different,” he said. “But not the style, it was more the position of Pep in Barcelona and Sir Alex as Manchester United.
“Obviously it was the last years of Sir Alex and first years of Pep. Pep didn’t have the power that Sir Alex had in Manchester United. Sir Alex was more like a manager than just a coach.
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Pique was lucky enough to be coached by two of the best
“Guardiola was just a coach at Barcelona. So Sir Alex, to give you an example maybe, some training he was not even there at the pitch, he was more focused on the game day, making the team, these kind of things.
“Pep Guardiola, when he arrived he was very young and he really wanted to control everything and his role was different to Sir Alex’s.”
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There were two crossovers in the iconic managers’ styles, though.
Pique continued: “They had similarities with the speech, because both of them they are true motivators and they know how to really engage the team so they can perform.
“But also, related to tactics, I’d say both were brilliant. Knowing exactly what the team needs in order to attack and defend in every game because the situations are different. They knew how to do it.”
But despite their differences, Pique went on to reveal he actually found it easy to adjust to Guardiola’s style.
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Pique signed for United when he was just a teenagerCredit: Getty
That was due to the fact they both went through Barcelona’s academy, and it was therefore ‘very easy’ to adapt to the way he wanted him to play.
Pique went on to stay at Barcelona for another 16 years and eventually ended his career there.
He stayed following Guardiola’s departure for Bayern Munich in 2012, where the Spanish manager spent four years before his move to Man City in 2016.
Pique made 616 appearances for his boyhood club in total, scoring 53 goals and registering 13 assists.
He won three Champions Leagues, nine LaLiga titles and seven Spanish Cups to add to his incredible achievements with Spain.
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