Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has reflected on his changed relationship with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta ahead of their teams' meeting in the Carabao Cup final. The two managers worked closely together when Arteta served as an assistant coach at Manchester City from 2016 to 2019.
Guardiola was quoted discussing their past dynamic, noting, "When we were here [when Arteta was a coach at City] we saw each other five or six hours every day, so the relationship is completely different." He implied that their frequent contact has naturally diminished since Arteta took the helm at Arsenal in December 2019.
The managers are now set to face each other as opponents in a major domestic cup final. The upcoming match is a repeat of recent high-stakes fixtures between the two title-contending clubs.
Team news for the final indicates both sides are dealing with injury concerns, though specific player availability for the 2026 final remains to be confirmed in the final pre-match briefings. The focus remains on the tactical battle between the two former colleagues.
