Man United will make steps forward under Ratcliffe – Guardiola،
Pep Guardiola said he expects Manchester United to “take a step forward” under new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, but added he is “not worried” about the billionaire's comments British that he wanted to knock Manchester City “off their perch”.
Ratcliffe's United stake was confirmed on Tuesday and the 71-year-old followed up with a statement that under his reign he wanted the club to “crush City on the pitch.
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Guardiola, however, shrugged off the threat but admitted that new ownership at Old Trafford would likely see United face a more serious challenge in the future.
“It's not [something] I'm worried,” Guardiola said at a press conference on Friday.
“I think I'm pretty sure that with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the others, Manchester United are going to take a step forward.
“I had the feeling that they know exactly what they need to do, appoint the people they need. With his experience in the corporate world, he can improve the project. But that's normal. Every team wants it. [to be at the top] and we want to be there. As long as I'm here, we'll try to be there again.”
Amid Ratcliffe's claims that he wants United to replace City and Liverpool at the top of the Premier League, the INEOS chairman was full of praise for how their Manchester rivals were able to launch an era of success at the Etihad Stadium .
Guardiola's side have won the title in five of the last six seasons and lifted the Champions League trophy for the first time in their history in June.
Ratcliffe has already acted by poaching Omar Berrada from the Etihad to become CEO and Guardiola said it was a compliment that City were seen as the benchmark for where United want to get.
“Always when we were below teams I looked up to them and 'what do you have to do to be close and challenge them?'” Guardiola said.
“It is [where] truly competitive people want to be.
“When we were down and United were winning, we watched them and admired them. We learned from them. In the days of Sir Alex Ferguson and the generation of Roy Keane, David Beckham, Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville.
“All the great players were there. I'm pretty sure City looked up to them and wanted to be there. Now here we are. That's why I had a feeling they would be back.”
