What City can expect from Josep Guardiola

UEFA.com's correspondents in Germany and Spain give the inside line on what Josep Guardiola will bring to Manchester City when he takes over in the summer.

The team comes first
City players will be spurred into action and not allowed to relax, while talented individuals will be cast aside if they do not buy into the team ethos. Ronaldinho, a dressing room and fan favourite at Barcelona, fell foul of Guardiola for these reasons.

The coach laid down the law in his first meeting with the team in St Andrews after taking over from Frank Rijkaard, declaring: "I won't tell you if you misplace a pass or miss a header, as long as I know you are giving 100%. A player on his own is no one."

Josep Guardiola does not enjoy media work©AFP/Getty Images

He may also demand changes behind the scenes – at Bayern München he brought in several experts for various areas such as match analysis and fitness, and had some disagreements with the club's medical department.

Ball players all over the pitch
City may already be masters of the ball, but there will be even more focus on every player being able to use it well, starting with the goalkeeper.

One of Guardiola's hallmarks at Barcelona and Bayern was creating numerical superiority all over the pitch, which meant defenders playing as midfielders, midfielders racing back to defend and full-backs playing as far forward as the strikers. This demands intensity from everyone.

Josep Guardiola gave Sergio Busquets his break©AFP/Getty Images

A boost for youth
City's youth and academy players should be excited by the appointment, as Guardiola gave a staggering 22 players from Barcelona's youth system their first-team debuts, including Sergio Busquets, current Bayern midfielder Thiago Alcántara and Rafinha, who remains at Barcelona just over four years on.

Players on the sidelines, meanwhile, will get plenty of public support. At Bayern he regularly praised those who were not getting regular starts, hailing their abilities and their attitude in training.

A tough time for local media
In Germany, Guardiola gained a reputation for not enjoying media work. He seemed irritated whenever he was asked to comment on off-field issues and would rather the focus remains solely on his tactical work – which he seems to regard as his main strength.

Football to feast on
Under 'Pep', Barcelona took football to new heights, delighting fans with their fast, short-passing game. They often overwhelmed even the most powerful teams, from hammering rivals Real Madrid 5-0 and 6-2 to beating Bayern 4-0 and outclassing Manchester United in two UEFA Champions League finals. If the coach can repeat these feats in Manchester, City supporters can look forward to seeing some of the most spectacular football on the planet.