Guardiola did not call me, I call him non stop to force a move to City – Savinho 

Guardiola did not call me, I call him non stop to force a move to City – Savinho

Manchester City forward Savinho secured a move to the Etihad last summer but was left panicking when Pep Guardiola wouldn’t answer his phone

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – JANUARY 29: Pep Guardiola manager of Manchester City and Savinho of Manchester City at full time as they progress to the knockouts during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD8 match between Manchester City and Club Brugge KV at City of Manchester Stadium on January 29, 2025 in Manchester, England.

Pep Guardiola with Savinho

Savinho left Pep Guardiola hanging last summer when he was offered the chance to come to Manchester City – and nearly paid the price for it.

 

The Brazilian sealed a move from fellow City Football Group club Troyes to the Blues for this season in a deal that could reach £30.8m, with City impressed by his performance on loan for Girona. However, it was more stressful than it could have been for the 20-year-old when he decided to be ‘crazy’ when Guardiola rang up asking him to join.

 

Telling the manager he needed some time to think about the decision, Savinho then frantically called back again and again to try and express his wish to join the club – but every call went unanswered. Instead, Guardiola kept Savinho waiting and then rang back on his own terms to give a relieved player what he wanted.

 

“I was at the Copa America, in the US and my agent told me that Pep wanted to call me,” Savinho said. “He calls, he gives me confidence, tells me he wants me in the team.

 

“And as crazy as I am, as crazy as I think I am to this day, I told my family that if he were to call me again, I’d never repeat what I did. I told him ‘Coach, I already have an answer, but I need to think it over again and I’ll get back to you.’ And he went, “Fine, I’m on holiday as well, no problem, have a think about it.’

 

“I though to myself: ‘God, it’s Manchester City.’ I left my room, went to dinner with the Brazil team and started asking questions to Marquinhos, Danilo, the experienced players.

 

“Danilo had even played here, so I asked him ‘It’s Manchester City, should I stay or should I go?’ Danilo goes, ‘You’re kidding me aren’t you? Manchester City is the top. You’re going to reach the top. At aged 19.’ After that I went back to my room and said to myself ‘I want to call Guardiola, I’ve made my decision.’

 

“I told my agent and he called me again. But my agent doesn’t know this, when I said I was crazy to tell Pep that I was going to mull it over after he took time out from his holidays to call to say he wanted me.

 

“At that very moment, I got on the phone and started calling Guardiola. At that very moment, I was calling him non-stop and he didn’t answer. The next day, I told my agent I wanted to go. Then, Pep called me and I said ‘I do want to sign.'”

 

 

ETIHAD STADIUM, MANCHESTER — Manchester City battled back effectively from a halftime deficit on Wednesday to beat Club Brugge 3-1 and earn a UEFA Champions League reprieve.

 

But Pep Guardiola’s tactics either side of the break outlined a battle of his own, between the team he wants his best sides to be and the team his City are right now.

 

During the first period, the hosts tried to party like it was 2023. Speaking after Saturday’s 3-1 win over Chelsea, Guardiola was asked about the possibility of picking the returning and injury-ravaged John Stones in the hybrid centre-back/midfielder role where he excelled during City’s treble-winning season.

 

“Now with John, I’m struggling to see it, due to injuries, that he plays there,” he said. “I prefer to see him back because as a defender, especially reading situations, he is so, so good.” Long-time observers of Guardiola on big Champions League nights will not be surprised to learn that Stones duly spent the first half advancing high into midfield from central defence, often further up the field than nominal holding player Mateo Kovacic in possession.

 

Stones exuded smooth authority despite regular indications that a foot injury continues to hinder his movement. He ended the night with two assists, including a sublime pass to set up Savinho’s game-sealing goal, completed 105 passes and made 10 of those into the final third.

 

Savinho seals our spot in the play-offs! pic.twitter.com/mjSA4rIWIW

 

— Manchester City (@ManCity) January 30, 2025

But, not for the first time this season, Cty were badly exposed without the ball. While centre-back Ruben Dias was flanked by Kyle Walker and Nathan Ake as Stones roamed during the treble run-in, Manuel Akanji had recently converted midfielder Matheus Nunes and Josko Gvardiol either side of him. That stymied each of Gvardiol and Nunes’ attacking tendencies and the latter was beaten far too easily by Ferran Jutgla in the build-up to Raphael Onyedika’s opening goal.

 

Further forward, Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne tried to work in between the lines off Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva was on the right wing, just like they all were in the Champions League final victory over Inter Milan in Istanbul. However, De Bruyne and Gundogan are 33 and 34 as their contracts tick down and Silva has not been used effectively on the right flank too often since the treble season. Meanwhile, Phil Foden burrowed away out of position on the left wing.

 

City dominated the ball and painted some pretty patterns around Brugge but this felt like the Wish.com version of their treble side. “When we have the ball for so long it’s really hard for a team to defend,” Akanji said, and it’s true that the hard yards Brugge had to put in without the ball probably cost them down the stretch of a game where they had a paltry 26% of possession. As early as the 53rd minute, their defending for Kovacic’s equaliser was damagingly lethargic.

 

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How did Pep Guardiola change his Man City tactics against Brugge

Still, Guardiola’s aggressive positioning of his players and their seemingly conservative instructions resulted in City creating little and being exposed in transitions during the first half. Something had to change and Savinho replaced Gundogan at the break as City reverted to the 4-3-2-1 shape that downed Chelsea. The Brazil winger played the role filled at the weekend by new signing Omar Marmoush, who was ineligible last night. Savinho’s impact was instant as he darted forward from the left-hand side of the attack to win two corners in as many minutes and whip the crowd up. Stones should have scored from the second.

 

“He just said come on, try to change the game and really play up high,” Savinho said of Guardiola’s instructions. “Press them. You’ve got to be ready to come in and improve the situation.”

 

 

Guardiola has found aggressive support attackers to be a useful ploy recently. Foden and Marmoush each impressed against Chelsea and Haaland, too often isolated in big games this season, enjoyed their company.

 

City’s pristine treble machine had Silva and Jack Grealish holding the shape and possession out wide, creating the conditions for the dazzling ensemble of inside forward positions to wreak havoc. Without Rodri underpinning everything as the midfield pivot and with the years telling on other key personnel, that approach is no longer as effective. Once injury absentees return and new signings bed in, it might be more viable. It’s understandable that Guardiola still wants an approach that was so successful in the playbook.

 

But right now, he has Foden with six goals in his past four Premier League games and Marmoush fresh from 15 goals in 17 Bundesliga games this season to flank the formidable Haaland. Savinho, brimming with raw potential is another tantalising ingredient to throw into the mix.

 

In midfield, collectively deploying the likes of Silva, Kovacic and Gundogan can hide some of their individual shortcomings. Foden and the the out-of-favour Grealish could also work as facilitators in the middle line if De Bruyne’s minutes need to be managed. At full-back, Nunes is a defensive worry, so you can only justify playing him if there is an outlet for his attacking capabilities. On the other flank, Gvardiol is proving himself to be a thoroughbred footballer time and again.

 

This 4-3-2-1 with fullbacks high and wide and roaming inside forwards is not classic Guardiola but he has found a way to play to the strengths of a talented squad coming out of a slump. With tough fixtures against Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool and Bayern Munich or Real Madrid to come in February, he should lean into it. Progress doesn’t always have to be perfect, even for modern football’s most famed perfectionist.

 

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