'Cleverer than me!' - Pep Guardiola reveals Marcelo Bielsa dialogue after Leeds United and Manchester City thriller

PEP Guardiola said he was left stumped after Marcelo Bielsa asked him for his opinion of Saturday evening's thriller between Leeds United and Manchester City seconds after the full-time whistle, smiling: "he is much cleverer than me!"
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Leeds and City were involved in a ripsnorting contest at Elland Road which featured 33 attempts at goal and attack against attack after an early onslaught from Guardiola's side.

The Premier League clash eventually finished all square at 1-1 with Raheem Sterling's 17th-minute opener cancelled out by record signing Rodrigo's first goal for Leeds one minute before the hour.

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Bielsa and Guardiola were then seen sharing a warm embrace and quick conversation after the full-time whistle but humble Guardiola said he was unable to fulfil Bielsa's full request.

SUM THAT UP! Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola looks on behind Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa during Saturday evening's Premier League thriller at Elland Road. Picture by Simon Hulme.SUM THAT UP! Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola looks on behind Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa during Saturday evening's Premier League thriller at Elland Road. Picture by Simon Hulme.
SUM THAT UP! Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola looks on behind Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa during Saturday evening's Premier League thriller at Elland Road. Picture by Simon Hulme.

"He made a question, he said to me 'what is your opinion about the game?'" said Guardiola.

"I said 'after one second I am not able to! I am not able to analyse the game!'

"Maybe he is much cleverer than me! I am not! I need time to process to know how the game was.

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"But I said I think it was a good game, it was fair, and that's why the result is the result."

Speaking later to the BBC and asked if he had any frustrations about being held to a draw, Guardiola said: "In society, give credit to the winners.

"The winners have a good perfume and smells so good. And when you don't win you smell so bad.

"And I know and I understand.

"We make theories for the winners, how good it is because we won.

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"But the approach was incredibly good and it's nice to face an opponent like a Marcelo Bielsa team.

"They want to win. This happened against Liverpool when they played against them.

"It's incredible entertainment of football, of sport, and you can sustain it for the future generations.

"People can say it can only happen with rich clubs like we are but you can do it with teams like Leeds when you have the mentality of letting them play and you say to the players you are able to compete against other big clubs and go forwards and when that happens the result is always good.

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"I am not completely happy because we have dropped five points in two games and we have one less game but it's about trying to get better and better and if we don't win like last season we congratulate the opponent.

"But as a manager I came here to play in this way and today we did it and when that happens I am more than satisfied."

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Thank you Laura Collins

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