Source: [Twitter/@CanoFootball](https://twitter.com/CanoFootball/status/1756036889914515506) \- *It’s a Twitter thread that I’ve copy-pasted here, hence the numbers at the end of each paragraph.*

Sergio Agüero spoke to ‘CLANK!’ on working with Pep Guardiola: “In a match against Stoke I scored 2 goals and after in the press conference he said something like: ‘I liked his goals, but I want him to work more for the team’. That’s where the tension started a little. (1/8)

The next day I went to speak to him. I asked him why he hadn’t told me and he apologized…. Game by game we tried to see how I could press. He made me do three different pressing runs that I wasn’t used to… (2/8)

In my head I said: ‘You’re taking my energy away to attack later’. I wanted to save myself so I could attack… (3/8)

So if the opponent built-up, I made the first press on the GK. The 2nd if the GK played with the defender, getting out to the defender, then the 3rd, if the defender played back to the GK or the other side, I had to sprint back to the middle. Everything on the sprint!!! (4/8)

In Jan, Gabriel Jesús came, that’s when he started to rotate me & I stopped starting. Jesús got injured & missed the rest of the season. That’s when I started playing & ended up scoring 30+ goals. I honestly thought he didn’t love me, but in reality he was just coaching. (5/8)

Today I think: ‘It’s not that he didn’t love me, it was just that it wasn’t working for him and we had to respect him. If I didn’t start the press then the whole structure and system was fucked… (6/8)

Then I realized that and I started to get along with him. After a while, he told me to just stop the central defender from playing. “Stay there. Just stop him!” then I had energy to attack later… (7/8)

It’s so difficult to beat Pep’s teams. When games start he knows exactly what’s going to happen. After 10 mins he’d shout “Sergio, now move out there…” and it would change the game. He’s the best coach I’ve had. 100%.” (8/8)

by Pep_Baldiola

4 comments

  1. I realise that the post title reads like a clickbait but it’s the first tweet in the thread so I posted it as the title.

  2. This is why Pep loves Julian, despite people in the match thread moaning about his touch or errant passes. He is constantly harassing the opponent back line and keeper, which forces them to make mistakes and gives City extra possessions. For Pep, possession is gold.

    Now we’re even seeing Haaland drop back and get more involved in the buildup and possession. Clearly that’s on instruction from Pep. otherwise he’s camping out in front of goal 😂

  3. Sergio brought me to Man City…Pep kept me supporting Man City. A physical football genius and a mental football genius.

  4. Feels good to know he didn’t fall out with Pep, and also that Pep eventually compromised (if only a bit) to accomodate Aguero’s weaknesses.

    I read that Kun was really disappointed with City as to how we handled his lack of extension to his contract. For context (and CMIIW), him and City had almost agreed to an extention, but the coaches wouldn’t/couldn’t promise him game time.
    I look back to his farewell match, it does seem like he was a bit out of it. I hope that there’s no long-lasting resentment from him.

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