Pep Guardiola took stock of the Champions League semifinals and heaped praise on Napoli in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Calciomercato).
“I saw Tuesday’s game, and the Azzurri impressed me. Their matches against Milan were tightly contested. You win or lose for a matter of details that make the difference. We don’t necessarily have to disparage them because they got eliminated. They played well and will win the Scudetto. Then we’ll see what they will be able to achieve in Champions League next campaign.”
Guardiola wasn’t surprised by the outcome of the quarter-finals.
“Italian football is in good shape. Napoli have many more points than Milan in Serie A, and people think that Champions League is the same animal, but that’s not the case. The Rossoneri change their chip in Europe. They are like Bayern Munich, which I just met and know very well. They were great and won a lot in the past. Arrigo Sacchi, Fabio Capello, Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta all are part of their history and that matters. That’s why certain teams are so strong at the continental level.”
Guardiola lauded Erling Haaland and dished on their bid to complete the treble.
“He always shows up when you need him. He’s a threat and an incredible machine. The future is in his hands. He loves the pressure and proved his personality. He’s so young too.”
“We have a shot, but there’s no time to rest in football. Arsenal have been marching since September in the Premier League, the continental competition doesn’t give you a break, and we’ll have the FA Cup semifinal against Sheffield United Saturday. We are really exhausted now. It’s a challenging stretch.”
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