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Paul McNamara

Two of Pep Guardiola’s superstar former Barcelona teammates have backed the embattled Manchester City manager to revitalise his struggling side.
Premier League champions for the past four seasons, City have lost eight of their past 11 matches in all competitions. They have all but disappeared from this term’s title race and are staring at the prospect of an early Uefa Champions League exit as well – only 18 months after winning the competition for the first time in 2023.
But Luis Figo, who played more than 150 games alongside Guardiola for Barcelona, said the Catalan would “turn this situation soon”.
Figo’s view was echoed by Carles Puyol, who played in the same Barcelona side as Guardiola, before winning three La Liga titles, two Uefa Champions Leagues and one Fifa Club World Cup as a backbone of the current City boss’s all-conquering Barca team.
Since being appointed at City in 2016, Guardiola has won 15 major honours, including six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and one Club World Cup, alongside that historic Champions League last year.

In November, he signed a new two-year contract, which was broadly expected to arrest a mini-slide of four straight defeats. However, City have subsequently careered off a cliff, losing four, drawing two and winning only one of their following seven games, culminating with Sunday’s desperate 2-1 derby loss at home to Manchester United.
Guardiola will take his team to Aston Villa on Saturday.
Figo, who won two La Liga titles on the field with Guardiola, told the Post: “Pep is one of the best coaches in the world – there is not much more for him to show in terms of his skills.
“Every club passes through periods of difficult results. It is not usual in the recent past for Manchester City, but it is a fact that they have some important players injured.
“I know Pep: he is a hard worker and has his philosophy. For sure, the players are with him and this situation will turn soon.
“I have no doubt they have the quality and skills to do it. In football, people always remember the [most recent] results and forget a bit about history.
“But when you have the talent, skills and quality, everything eventually comes back to normality.”

Figo and Puyol are among the former Barcelona and Real Madrid players in the city for an exhibition game at Hong Kong Stadium on Friday night.
Portuguese Figo is skippering Real Madrid, who he controversially joined in 2000 after five years at the Nou Camp. He had five years with Real, too, winning another two league titles and the 2002 Champions League.
There is no disputing Puyol’s allegiances. A World Cup winner with Spain in 2010, the defender played 593 games for Barcelona during a 15-year, one-club career that yielded six Spanish titles and three Champions League titles.
Puyol was a regular in the Guardiola-led Barcelona team that has been credited with revolutionising football during four heady years between 2008 and 2012.
“He was the best coach [in the world] and still is,” Puyol told the Post. “He is just going through a tough patch.
“He is always working and ready to compete – it is about trying to reach a turning point for the situation to change
“I know him very well, and I know there is not one day he doesn’t work towards finding the solution. I know exactly what he is capable of and he will manage to turn things around.”


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English Premier League

Barcelona legends Figo and Puyol back Pep Guardiola to ‘turn around’ ailing Manchester City

Pep Guardiola is enduring his toughest period as Manchester City manager. Photo: AP

Barcelona’s Carles Puyol lifts the Club World Cup trophy in 2011, with Guardiola (left) watching on. Photo: Reuters

Luis Figo (centre) will play in a team of Real Madrid legends against Barcelona in Hong Kong on Friday. Photo: Reuters

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Hong Kong’s players celebrate reaching next year’s EAFF finals in South Korea. Photo: Dickson Lee

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Ng Yu-hei skips past a Guam player at Hong Kong Stadium. Photo: Dickson Lee

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Sport

Football

Catalan boss in midst of unprecedented struggle with English Premier League champions City, who have lost eight times in past 11 games


Catalan boss in midst of unprecedented struggle with English Premier League champions City, who have lost eight times in past 11 games.


Spanish La Liga

Barcelona legends Figo and Puyol back Pep Guardiola to ‘turn around’ ailing Manchester City

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Catalan boss in midst of unprecedented struggle with English Premier League champions City, who have lost eight times in past 11 games

Catalan boss in midst of unprecedented struggle with English Premier League champions City, who have lost eight times in past 11 games