Gian Piero Gasperini said in the press conference prior to the match between Man City and Atalanta that Pep Guardiola, the City boss, had a nice gesture with him eight years ago. Guardiola invited Gasperini to spend a few days in Barcelona after he was sacked as Inter manager.
The relationship between coaches goes through different phases. From rivalry to hatred or sometimes friendship, it seems like these two really like each other. That is what the Italian coach told the media anyway.
"For Atalanta this is like winning the league. It's tremendous. It's exciting, of course, I will be able to challenge Guardiola. In addition, it closes a cycle which began eight years ago," he said about the importance of this going for his team and revealed something else.
"I said it on purpose. Honestly, this is a great reward. I can't add much on Guardiola as a coach, but as a human being, he did something very nice to me," he confessed.
"Eight years ago, the same day I was sacked by Inter, Estiarte called me on behalf of Pep to go to Barcelona and spend a few days with them. It was a such a nice touch from Guardiola, it's something I'll never forget," the coach concluded.