‘Like watching Brazil’, Guardiola says on Fluminense test
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has compared Fluminense’s style of football with the great Brazilian teams of the 20th century as his side prepares for the Club World Cup final against the South American champions.
City reached Friday’s showpiece in Saudi Arabia with a 3-0 win over Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds.
“The way they play, we’ve never faced, never,” said Guardiola.
“I love it. I love the build-up. I love how they associate between each other.”
Guardiola’s side are looking to become the fourth English club to win the trophy after Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.
They face Copa Libertadores winners Fluminense who laboured to a 2-0 win over Egyptian outfit Al Ahly in their semi-final on Monday.
The four-time Brazilian Serie A winners are managed by Brazil interim head coach Fernando Diniz and are likely to start ex-Real Madrid captain Marcelo, 35, in defence.
“They play a typical Brazil style from the 1970s, ’80s, early ’90s – until 1994, when they won the World Cup in the United States,” said Guardiola.
“We will have to impose our rhythm and our positional game as best as possible and do a good performance, because we know without it, it will be so difficult to win the final.”
Manchester City could hold five major trophies at the same time with victory on Friday night – Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Uefa Super Cup and the Club World Cup.
Despite a run of one win in their last six Premier League games, City are overwhelming favourites to beat Fluminense in Jeddah, with European teams unbeaten in 21 Club World Cup matches stretching back to 2012.
Guardiola also stands to make history as the first coach to win the competition with three different clubs, having lifted the Club World Cup three times already during his spells at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
