Pep Guardiola makes Arsenal Champions League claim ahead of Man City clash

Pep Guardiola has described Arsenal as ‘the most solid team’ in Europe ahead of Manchester City’s Premier League clash on Sunday.

Both Arsenal and City head into the match at the Emirates Stadium this week off the back of wins in the Champions League as Mikel Arteta’s side sealed a 2-0 victory against Athletic Bilbao, while Guardiola’s men beat Napoli 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium.

City have failed to beat Arsenal in their last four matches and were on the receiving end of a 5-1 hammering away to the Gunners in February.

Guardiola believes City made it ‘easy’ for Arsenal that day but has praised Arteta for building one of Europe’s toughest sides.

Asked if he has re-watched City’s heavy defeat at the Emirates from last season, Guardiola said: ‘The game last season we started like it happened many times last season, an Under-14 team, we gave away a thousand million goals. And after we were, during a lot of the time, pretty good considering how we was last season. And the last 15, 20 minutes was a disaster.

‘We forgot to do what we had to do, and everyone doing there, and after that Arsenal, it was easy for them.

Pep Guardiola says Arsenal are ‘one of the toughest opponents you can find right now in Europe’ (Getty)

‘Hopefully this season we can make a little bit more of a challenge in the last years, because Mikel is an extraordinary manager, and what they’ve done in increasing the squad in these four, five transfer windows.

‘It’s an unbelievable squad, and an unbelievable team – it’s one of the toughest opponents you can find right now in Europe.

‘And we’ll see what we have to do, and which players are fit, and we’ll try to compete and be a better team than what we was last season, especially in the last 20, 25 minutes.’

Guardiola also made a sarcastic reference to the criticism City have received during his time in the Premier League over their spending power and has suggests Liverpool and Arsenal are not given the same treatment.

When asked about Arsenal’s spend in the summer transfer window, Guardiola joked: ‘It is what it is, they decided to do it. Only I want to say to my friend, Mikel Arteta, if he wins the title it will just be because of spending, not because he worked a lot.

‘Like Liverpool… If Arne [Slot] wins again, it will be because he spent a lot of money, right? Because it’s not just Man City that it’s happened right? So, all of them.

Pep Guardiola and Man City were on the receiving end of a 5-1 defeat to Arsenal last season (Action Images via Reuters)

‘Listen, for many, many years, every club can do whatever he wants. I know how we have been treated is completely different but what he wants to spend is because he wants it, and it’s fine.

‘Then only thing I can say is they have been wise, they spent what they believe they can do, to compete against the best teams in the Premier League, in Europe, and they reached that level.

‘So he found a team in that way, a club, and step by step, window by window, step by step, Arsenal is getting better.

‘So last season, in Europe, made an incredible step forward, and for me its the most solid team – they don’t make mistakes at the back, and it’s an incredibly solid team, they have pace up front, of course set pieces with Nico Jover – he was here – so in every department it’s… what a team, in every department.

‘But we know it. Every team is better, and better, and better and I know the quality that all of them have.’

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