PEP GUARDIOLA claims Manchester United missed out on him as Sir Alex Ferguson’s successor because of the Scotsman’s ACCENT.
The pair dined together in New York back in 2012 when Red Devils legend Fergie was searching for his eventual replacement.
Ferguson has since admitted talking to the former all-conquering Barcelona coach about taking charge of United.
But Guardiola, now boss at noisy neighbours Manchester City, revealed: “I know he said that, but I don’t remember.
“When he spoke really fast, it was difficult to understand him.
“My English is not perfect now, but it’s a little bit better. But in that period, my English was not good and maybe I didn’t understand him.
“I don’t remember, when we were in a magnificent restaurant having dinner, that he suggested to me I should go to Old Trafford.
“But it was nice because he chose an amazing restaurant and, of course, he paid.”
Instead, Guardiola left the Catalan giants for Bayern Munich, where he won three Bundesliga titles, one Fifa Club World Cup, a Uefa Super Cup and two German Cups during his glittering spell, before joining City.
United ended up with the disastrous appointment of David Moyes, before turning to Louis van Gaal and now Jose Mourinho.
The New York dinner came during Guardiola’s 12-month sabbatical from football following a four-year stint at Barca.
Guardiola took over from Dutchman Frank Rijkaard after being promoted from B team boss in the summer of 2008 and enjoyed an incredible instant success.
In his first season in the Nou Camp hotseat he won the Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey — the first Treble in the club’s history.
Guardiola went on to win a staggering 14 trophies in just 14 seasons — two European Cups, two Uefa Super Cups, two Club World Cups, three successive La Liga titles and two Copa del Reys and three Spanish Supercopas.
And when he was ready to return to football, German giants Bayern were the first to make contact.
Guardiola added: “In my mind, I was clear I wanted to live that amazing experience in Germany.
“Bayern were the first to call me, alongside Manchester City. But I decided to go to Germany, to learn German and after that, Manchester City.”
And Guardiola is adamant City were his ONLY choice once he decided to come to on England — due to his relationship with director of football Txiki Begiristain.
The duo had worked together at Barca, where Begiristain was director of football.
And Guardiola said: “From the moment Manchester City approached, I decided that if I was to go to the Premier League, I would go to them because I know Txiki.
“I met the chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak in my last period in Munich and they showed more interest than any other club and that was so important.
“They said: ‘We want you, not just for the hypothetical titles you are going to win, or what you have won in the past. We want you.’
“That’s why I decided to come here. And believe me, I don’t have any regrets.”
Victor Osimhen has been named the 2023 African Footballer of the Year, cementing his status as one of the world’s top players.
Osimhen surpassed competition from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah for the prestigious award.
The Super Eagles forward concluded a remarkable year in the imperial Moroccan city of Marakesh, ending Nigeria’s 24-year wait for Africa’s top individual prize, last won by legendary Kanu Nwankwo in 1999.
During the event, Osimhen expressed gratitude, acknowledging the impact of Nigerian legend Emmanuel Amuneke, who coached him at the U-17 level, and the support from fans and fellow players.
“It’s a dream come true for me. I want to thank everyone who has seen me through life’s journey, in achieving my dreams and goals. I appreciate Nigerians and Africa for their unwavering support and encouragement,” he said.
Osimhen recognised the influence of Emmanuel Adebayo, Solomon Kalu, and other African legends, expressing gratitude to his role model, Didier Drogba.
The award reflects Osimhen’s outstanding performances with Napoli, where he played a pivotal role in their Serie A title run, scoring 26 league goals and becoming the first African to win the top scorer award, breaking George Weah’s record in the Italian top-flight.”
Lionel Messi, the renowned Argentine football icon, clinched the coveted 2023 Ballon d’Or, setting a new record for the 2022 World Cup champion.
In a glamorous event held in Paris, Messi, who now plays for Inter Miami, received the prestigious award on Monday night. This achievement is widely seen as a well-deserved recognition for his pivotal role in guiding the Abiscelete to World Cup victory in the previous year.
Aged 36, Messi succeeded Karim Benzema as the recipient of this award, which acknowledges his exceptional performances during the last season when he inspired Argentina to triumph at the World Cup.
His remarkable displays in Qatar, where he led his nation to a historic victory, enabled him to surpass strong competition, notably from Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. Haaland secured the second spot in the final voting, with Mbappe finishing third and Kevin De Bruyne taking fourth place.
Messi, a former Barcelona superstar, left an indelible mark at the World Cup, scoring seven crucial goals. His exceptional performance led to him being named the tournament’s best player, especially after Argentina’s victory over France in the final.
While Messi’s World Cup heroics were undeniable, his final season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was relatively lackluster. Subsequently, he made a move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
His former PSG teammate, Mbappe, made a strong case for the Ballon d’Or with his outstanding World Cup performance, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals, including a memorable hat-trick in the final for France.
Norwegian striker Erling Haaland had a remarkable season, scoring an incredible 52 goals in 53 games for Manchester City. This stellar performance played a pivotal role in helping Pep Guardiola’s team secure a historic treble in the English Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.
Both Haaland and De Bruyne were nominated for the Ballon d’Or from their exceptional contributions to the success of Manchester City.
Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba’s ‘B’ sample has confirmed the presence of testosterone, a source close to the case told AFP on Friday.
The 30-year-old former Manchester United player, a World Cup winner in 2018, faces a ban of up to four years.
The original test by the Italian anti-doping agency (Nado) showed the presence of testosterone metabolites.
On Friday, Pogba learned that the analysis of his B sample, carried out on the previous day, had produced the same result.
The player’s entourage declined to comment.
Under the World Anti-Doping Code, Pogba is liable to a four-year suspension, which could be halved if he proves that he was not at fault.
The ban could even be limited to a few months if the use of the substance took place “out of competition and is not related to his level of performance”.
Pogba’s representatives said last month that the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States.
Testosterone promotes muscle development.
Contacted by AFP, Nado was unable to confirm this information “due to a decision by the Italian privacy authority”.
Pogba has seven days to submit his defence to Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal, which will investigate his case and request a sanction, a process that could take several weeks.
In addition to the proceedings of the Italian sports justice system, a judicial investigation will be opened by the Turin public prosecutor’s office, as doping is a criminal offence in Italy.
Since the announcement of his positive test, Pogba has been unable to train with Juventus, the club to which he returned in July 2022 after six seasons with United.
The announcement came shortly before Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri’s press conference on the eve of the Turin derby against Torino, at which he simply said he was “sorry for Paul”.
Contacted by AFP, the club, which has also suspended payment of his estimated annual salary of 8 million euros (8.4 million dollars), did not respond.
Pogba started the season attempting to bounce back from string of injuries last season and from summer surgery.
His sample was reportedly taken at his club’s opening match of the Serie A season, a win at Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute.
After the first sample tested positive on September 11, Pogba’s agent Rafaela Pimenta said she was “awaiting the second sample and cannot have an opinion before the results”.
“What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule,” she added.