The Spanish midfielder feels Manchester City will dominate the final (Picture: BT Sport)
Cesc Fabregas believes Pep Guardiola is already the greatest manager in history regardless of what happens in the Champions League final, while he expects Manchester City to dominate the contest.
The Premier League and FA Cup winners are on the precipice of history and can secure a famous treble if they overcome Serie A giants Inter Milan on Saturday night at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul.
Victory would see City become only the second English team after Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United in 1999 to win all three competitions in the same season.
It is 12 years since Guardiola last won the Champions League, with a win taking him one title behind record-holder Carlo Ancelotti, but Fabregas feels the impact his compatriot has had on the sport already marks him out as football’s greatest manager.
Asked if Guardiola will be regarded as the best coach of all time if he wins the final, Fabregas told BT Sport: ‘Well, that’s a tough one, but I would think so because for me he already is!
‘No disrespect to anybody else, because obviously what Fergie did in ’99 and throughout his career, and many other coaches I haven’t seen in my time.
‘But the way he [Guardiola] changed football, the way he sees football, the way us players have fun on a daily basis by being coached by him.
Guardiola has not won the Champions League since he was at Barcelona 12 years ago (Picture: Getty)
‘So I think this matters at the same time, because it’s not only just about winning. It’s about the process, it’s about what’s happening through this pathway that comes along the way and I think he ticks all the boxes in that.’
Fabregas currently plays for Serie B club Como and has had the opportunity to watch plenty of Inter this season, and he feels the Italian side will sit back and counter while City dominate proceedings in Istanbul.
Asked for a prediction on how the match will play out, Fabregas continued: ‘I wouldn’t say easy win [for City], but I do think it will be a game where Man City will have plenty of the ball.
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‘This is a team, Inter Milan, that has been set up and started by Antonio Conte and followed by [Simone] Inzaghi. So I know very well, I played under Antonio, I know his process of thought, I know how he deals with certain things.
‘I’ve been at San Siro eight times this year because I live half-an-hour away so I’ve watched many live games from Inter Milan.
‘They are just happy to wait. They are a little bit more aggressive on the times that they want to push forward to press than maybe with Conte.
‘But I think Man City will have plenty of the ball and Inter will just wait and counter-attack if they can.’
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The Spanish midfielder feels Manchester City will dominate Saturday’s showpiece.