Pep Guardiola has refused to turn the spotlight on rivalry as Manchester City prepare for the efl cup final against Arsenal on Sunday (ET), saying the world is in chaos and praising Arsenal as an “exceptional team. ” Guardiola made the remarks on Friday (ET), calling for officials to handle on-field disputes while stressing the challenge Arsenal poses. The City manager pointed to broader events beyond football as he declined to rekindle past tensions.
Efl Cup Final: Guardiola focuses on the bigger picture
Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, declined attempts to engage in pre-match mind games with Mikel Arteta, manager of Arsenal, as the teams meet in the English League Cup final on Sunday (ET). “Look what’s happened around the world, ” Guardiola said on Friday (ET). “We have an incredible chaos and nobody moves one finger. Everything is behind the scenes. The world is going to collapse and still we are here talking about dark arts. “
Guardiola urged that there are “officials to deal with these kind of things” and praised Arsenal’s evolution and “solidarity. ” He described Arsenal as an “exceptional team” and framed the fixture as a test to see how City can raise their level against a side that is challenging on multiple fronts.
Flashpoint remembered — ‘dark arts’ and reactions
The comments resurrected a flashpoint from a Premier League match in September 2024 when Arsenal’s tactics prompted criticism from Manchester City players. Bernardo Silva, Manchester City midfielder, said Arsenal’s players pushed “the limits of what was possible to do. ” John Stones, Manchester City defender, said they “break up the game which upsets the rhythm. ” Kyle Walker, formerly a full back at Manchester City, used the phrase “dark arts” in describing the perceived tactics.
Mikel Arteta pushed back cryptically after those exchanges, noting he had “all the information” about City from his time as an assistant to Guardiola from 2016-19. Guardiola replied that Arteta should be “more clear exactly what does he mean. ” A year and a half later, Guardiola opted not to reignite the argument and instead emphasized the responsibility of match officials to address such issues.
Immediate reactions and what to watch next
Mikel Arteta, manager of Arsenal, said the nature of their relationship “had to” change because the two clubs are now direct rivals, while affirming that his personal regard for Guardiola as an inspiration from his earlier career remains. Guardiola framed the match as a significant challenge for City to measure themselves against an Arsenal side in contention across competitions.
Looking ahead, attention will focus on how both managers handle the tactical battle and whether officials intervene on contentious on-field tactics. The efl cup final on Sunday (ET) will test the teams’ approaches under pressure and could determine how the rivalry is managed going forward.
