“Where we are changes our relationship” - Arteta on Guardiola

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal lead the Premier League, as they have done since September. Today they play away at Manchester City with a lead of six points over Guardiola’s side, but City have a game in hand meaning a loss for Arsenal would shift the balance decisively at the top of the table.

Arteta and Guardiola are no strangers, with a relationship going back years. It began at Barcelona, where a young Arteta looked up to Guardiola as an idol and tactical reference point. They stayed in contact as their careers developed, building mutual respect long before working together.

Arteta joins Guardiola’s City

That connection deepened at Manchester City between 2016 and 2019, where Arteta joined Guardiola’s staff. What is often described as an apprenticeship was, in reality, a close collaboration. Guardiola valued Arteta’s ideas, and their relationship became one of trust, shared thinking, and daily partnership.

Everything shifted when Arteta took over at Arsenal in 2019. From that moment, they moved from colleagues to direct rivals, competing for the same titles and trying to outmaneuver each other tactically.

The personal bond remains strong, but the professional dynamic has changed completely. That is the context behind Arteta’s line: where they are now has fundamentally reshaped their relationship.

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