De Zerbi has built up quite a reputation during his 10-year career in the dugout and since taking over the Seagulls in 2022 when Graham Potter left he’s enhanced their reputation as one of the most eye-catching sides in the Premier League.
Guardiola is certainly a fan of the Brighton boss, his team and is aware of the difficulty of the weekend Etihad assignment.
“I think I admire him for the fact it doesn’t matter the team he plays, he proved you don’t have to be in a top, top, top club or with top, top exceptional players to make your team play how you like to play,” said the boss at his pre-match press conference.
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“He came from Italy and the way he plays is a little counter-cultural and it doesn’t matter what happens.
“He plays [with] Sassuolo and teams who may not be considered the top, top, top ones, it doesn’t matter, [we] have the ball we are going to play, to play, to play.
“I’m a spectator mainly as a manager and I enjoy a lot watching his teams play, I learn, like it and what he does makes sense.
“It’s not a surprise the success his teams have because he is playing deservedly.
“Even when they lost to Villa, he plays his own style, it doesn’t matter transitions, deflections, Aston Villa, a top side this season for the quality they have with the manager and players, but they do [play], it doesn’t matter.
“Tomorrow will be an example. It will be one of the toughest tests we have this season. We’ll try to go for it.”
Watch the press conference in full in the video player above.
