Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta has no doubt about Pep Guardiola s ability to adapt to the challenges at Manchester City and in the Premier League.
Guardiola s City have made a flying start to the season, sitting top of the table after three wins from as many matches.
Iniesta, who starred under Guardiola at Barca in 2008-12, backed his former coach and Spain team-mates in the City squad, including the exceptional David Silva.
Pep knows how to adapt and I m sure he ll do so in England, Iniesta said, via The Guardian.
He s also got staff like Mikel Arteta who ll help that process, who know the league.
City have signed well and have a very competitive squad. I know Nolito well because he was a team-mate here at Barcelona and with Spain. He s had a great start and hopefully can continue.
I ve admired David Silva for years: I think he s exceptional.
Players learn day to day, from experience, team-mates and managers. I learnt a lot with Pep; he helped me to improve and he ll do the same at City.
Iniesta recalled the difficult start Guardiola had to life at Barca – who failed to win their opening two LaLiga games of his first season in charge in 2008-09.
The 32-year-old, winner of eight league titles, four Champions Leagues, two European Championships and a World Cup, said he knew things would change.
Things hadn t started well but I believed in [Guardiola], Iniesta said.
I felt a connection. When things come from inside, you know they re real. I felt that way, like I had to tell him, support him.
We came back from Euro 2008 and went to St Andrews and you could already see that this was different: the training, the communication, how the manager was.
Until then there hadn t been such a defined style and I identified with it. It changed everything and we needed that.
