Guardiola dismisses 'stupid' tactics debate before Atletico clash

The Spaniard dismissed suggestions the match would be a clash of styles. (FILE/AFP)
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Updated 05 April 2022
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Guardiola dismisses 'stupid' tactics debate before Atletico clash

  • The Spaniard dismissed suggestions the match would be a clash of styles
  • Manchester United were undone by Atletico's spoiling tactics in the previous round

LONDON: Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola on Monday refused to be drawn into a "stupid" debate on tactics ahead of his side's Champions League quarter-final first leg at home to Atletico Madrid.

The Spaniard dismissed suggestions the match would be a clash of styles between the possession-based football he favours and the cruder style of Atletico manager Diego Simeone.

"I'm not going to talk one second about this stupid debate," he said. "Everyone tries to win the game.

"If they win they are right, if we win we are right. It's for the players, the difference will be there."

Manchester United were undone by Atletico's spoiling tactics in the previous round but Guardiola had no time for the notion the Spanish club were an "ugly" team.

"I'm not going to judge what they do, I'll analyse what to do to get a good result to go to Madrid next week," he said.

"What is playing ugly? My team won in Old Trafford 1-0 and Bernardo Silva spent five minutes in the corner. That is not ugly, it's defending the position.

"I never judge the opponents, what they do."

Meanwhile, Guardiola said he always overthinks his tactics in the Champions league and joked he could even line up with 12 players.

"In the Champions League always I overthink. New tactics, tomorrow (Tuesday) you will see a new one," said the former Bayern Munich coach.

"I overthink a lot, that's why I have very good results in the Champions League. It would be boring if I always played the same way."

Guardiola, who twice won the Champions League as coach of Barcelona, appeared to make fun of his approach by adding: "The movements are different, the players are all different with different personalities.

"That's why I overthink and create stupid tactics. Tonight I will take an inspiration and I'm going to do incredible tactics tomorrow. We will play with 12 tomorrow!"

The reigning Premier League champions have yet to win European football's most prestigious trophy. They came close last year, losing 1-0 in the final to English rivals Chelsea.

City midfielder Bernardo Silva added: "We know it will be very tight. It won't be an open game because that isn't Atletico's quality."


Rhodes leads after second round of PIF Saudi Ladies International

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Rhodes leads after second round of PIF Saudi Ladies International

  • 2025 LET Rookie of the Year leads in PIF Global Series 2026 opener
  • WiMENA panels gather trailblazing women to spark dialogue

RIYADH: England’s Mimi Rhodes backed up a stellar opening in round two of the PIF Saudi Ladies International at Riyadh Golf Club, moving into an outright lead and fending off advances from South Africa’s Casandra Alexander and Chizzy Iwai of Japan. 

The 24-year-old, who was the Ladies European Tour’s 2025 Rookie of the Year, posted a score of 69 to move to an overall total of 11-under-par to lead by one.

Another former LET Rookie of the Year, Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, who now has 12 professional wins, sits one shot further back in tied fourth alongside Japan’s Rio Takeda. Eight players are tied for sixth and England’s Charley Hull lies four back from her compatriot alongside past champion Patty Tavatanakit.

Reflecting on her mindset, and how she has approached the week so far, Rhodes said: “Honestly, I was so excited. Having two months off competitive golf, it’s so long, but I just got back into the swing of things.

“Holing putts is my main goal out there and having the greens rolling really nicely is definitely an advantage for that. I’m just taking it chilled out there and being patient.

“I wasn’t putting too much pressure on myself, but obviously it’s a big event, one of the PIF Global Series, so I wanted to do well, and start with a cut made. I’ve done more than that. I think I can be proud of myself and now (I will) just see what happens. I’m happy.”

The second day of the event highlighted Golf Saudi’s investment in the future of women’s sport with the WiMENA (Women in Middle East and North Africa) panels, which included pioneering Saudi athletes such as Kariman Abuljadayel, the trailblazing sprinter who set a Guinness World Record for the 10 km open water row. Joining her were Razan Al-Ajmi, Saudi Arabia's first female skydiver, members of the Saudi national rugby team and other prominent Olympians and sports figures.

Ameera Marghalani, a pioneering female Saudi rugby national team member, said: “I want to see the support for sports grow exponentially across the country.

“My vision is to see more young girls and women joining the sporting community, not just in major cities but across every corner of Saudi Arabia.”