Pep Guardiola will set aside old friendships at the Etihad Stadium tomorrow, Saturday, as he urged Manchester City players to be cautious against Burnley, managed by his former teammate Vincent Kompany, when the two teams meet in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. In a press interview, he noted that it would be fantastic to see Kompany return to the Etihad, stating, "I was just thinking about what they have done this season... I am not surprised at all by Burnley's position in the Championship; they are close to returning to the Premier League." Guardiola confirmed that the match will be difficult "because they are doing incredible things on the pitch" and that they have a good team and an exceptional style of play.
Kompany, the former City captain, played under Guardiola from 2016 to 2019 before leaving to join Anderlecht as both a coach and player. He then took charge of Burnley in 2022, leading them to the top of the Championship with 83 points from 33 matches, nearing a return to the top flight after a year of relegation. Earlier this month, Guardiola praised Burnley, stating that "his coach Kompany will one day succeed him in managing City."
