- Title: Guardiola unsure on Arteta future, relishing Real clash in Champions League
- Date: 17th December 2019
- Summary: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (DECEMBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) SOUNDBITE (English) MAN CITY MANAGER PEP GUARDIOLA, SPEAKING ABOUT FACING REAL MADRID IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, SAYING: "If you want to do well in this competition you have to face these type of teams sooner or later. You can do it now or the quarter-finals if you go through or the semi-finals, in this competition there is no team lacking quality, so English teams, Spanish teams, French teams, even German teams, so all of them are really good so this is an incredible test for us so we face it with illusions so we want to try to prepare well these two months, to arrive as best as possible for the injured players that you have many and now we have one feeling and maybe better feeling in February or a worse feeling, so we will see. It is what it is and you want to make a step as a team, so you have to face them sooner or later. Of course they have more experience than us in these competitions and these type of players play these type of games many, many times and we start to play in that position, but for us it's an incredible experience to face them and we are going to try to compete with them as best as possible and of course I have an incredible confidence in my team to do a good two games."
- Embargoed: 31st December 2019 15:35
- Keywords: Man City Mikel Arteta Pep Guardiola Real Madrid
- Location: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK
- City: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA007BAD79DR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has confirmed Mikel Arteta is in talks with Arsenal over a potential move to the Emirates but said the Spaniard will be part of his coaching staff for their League Cup quarter-final against Oxford United on Wednesday.
Former Arsenal captain Arteta is reported to be the leading candidate to succeed Unai Emery as Arsenal manager after the club's chief executive Vinai Venkatesham was pictured outside his house in the early hours of Monday morning.
"Mikel is travelling to Oxford with us tomorrow," Guardiola told reporters ahead of Wednesday's trip to the Kassam Stadium.
"We were so smart to pick him up and the other clubs missed it. He's an incredible person, good manager. Work ethic. That's why he is what he is. He's talking with Arsenal so I don't know.
"The organisation is always alive. Now he is part of our group and staff and he is here. When we have new news, I will know and you will know. Now he is here, tomorrow travelling. He trained today and that's all."
Arteta made 149 appearances for Arsenal before joining City's coaching staff in 2016.
The 37-year-old has enjoyed a successful spell at City as assistant to Guardiola, helping the club to consecutive Premier League titles over the last two seasons. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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