Pep Guardiola wants Manchester City fans to give Raheem Sterling a warm reception on his first return to the Etihad Stadium, insisting the pair parted on good terms in the summer.
Pep Guardiola said: “I watch a few games, I didn’t see [all of them]. It doesn’t matter what he’s playing or doing, my opinion of him obviously you know it. I cannot judge, the case happened with Zack Steffen in the Championship, Oleks [Zinchenko], Gabby [Jesus], Raheem, I wish all the best. My credit to all of them, this guy especially is immense, what they have done for the club. Hats off, I wish him all the best and hope he’s happy.”
Asked if he expected a positive reception for Sterling from the City faithful in light of his comments since joining Chelsea, Guardiola again opted to remain positive.
Pep Guardiola said: “I hope so, definitely hope so,” he answered, adding that the pair left their relationship on good terms despite anything Sterling has subsequently said. Always I like clubs when they welcome the guys who have been here many years, being a key figure, an important role in our team in all these years. Maybe you forget what happen in the last month, but that’s not a reality of what happens in the last six or seven years he was here. He deserves it, more than welcome, what happens with Gabby. The game starts, of course we want to beat them. Of course he has to get a good reception. In England the people appreciate that. [We left on a] good relationship. We worked six years here together every day, working, playing a lot of games. Playing the most important games. Probably the most important game we played in the final of the Champions League, he was there. If he’s happy, we’re happy.”
And Guardiola also had praise for Chelsea boss Graham Potter, urging the Londoners to stick with their new manager despite a couple of recent defeats.
Pep Guardiola said: “I’m not the right person to say, because it’s none of my business. If Chelsea accept my humble advice, give him time – he will do well. He change things, don’t have time to train. They’ve got good results, the way they play vs Brighton, they lost but I saw many things I remember from his time in Brighton. He needs time. No one has success day one, or day two. I have a lot of admiration for his work. What he does in Brighton is beyond exceptional. I’m sure with time he will do a good job. Like with Roberto de Zerbi at Brighton, when they start to lose games, it’s a question of time. If they are patient he will be [a big] impact in England. Like Graham has done in this country. He is one of the best managers, from my point of view, we have in this league. It’s easier [to move to a big club] in the fact you have apparently better players. The success of manager depends on that. Brighton have a lot of time to do that. Big clubs I don’t know. The big difference is the same Graham Potter that was at Brighton is the same that is at Chelsea. At the big clubs when you ask time, they don’t give it to you. This is the reality.”
