Sporting Lisbon coach Ruben Amorim, who is set to take over at Manchester United next week has lauded Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola as the world’s best manager ahead of their Uefa Champions League face-off.
Amorim, who will lead Sporting in his second-to-last match against Man City on Tuesday, has admired Guardiola’s influence on modern coaching.
“[City have] the best team in the world and the best coach in the world,” Amorim told Sport TV on Monday. He noted the growth he’s achieved since City eliminated Sporting 5-0 on aggregate in the 2022 Champions League but acknowledged Guardiola has also advanced. “I feel like I’m a better coach [now], but unfortunately, Pep has also become an even better coach, so the gap remains,” he said.
Amorim credited Guardiola as an inspiration for many coaches. Despite United’s recent struggles—currently 13th in the Premier League—Amorim is seen as a promising addition to restore the club’s status. His Sporting success includes breaking a 19-year league title drought in 2021 and winning another league title last season. United reportedly paid €11 million ($12 million) to secure the 39-year-old, a move they announced as part of bringing in “one of the most exciting and highly rated young coaches in European football.”
Ahead of his Manchester move, Amorim reflected on the pressure he’ll face. A loss to City, he suggested, might temper high expectations, while a win could create unrealistic hopes. “If the result is very negative, expectations will drop,” he explained. “If we win tomorrow, they’ll think the new Alex Ferguson has arrived, which is very difficult to maintain.”
The upcoming Champions League match has added significance, given the focus on Amorim’s transition to Manchester. “I’m fully aware that I’m going to be judged as a manager on this game, and only on this game,” he noted, but added that losing to City “is not a failure.”
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