The Croatian international defender joined the Club earlier this month and has already made two appearances – including a start against Sevilla in Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup.
He will now be hoping to impress further should he feature in Saturday’s Premier League clash with high-flying Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CITY V NEWCASTLE
At just 21, Gvardiol feels he can still improve as a player and that Pep Guardiola is the perfect coach to get the best out of him.
“Everyone wants to be coached by the best manager in the world and I have this opportunity to learn from the best,” he said.
“I believe that I am going to grow myself as a player and also as a person.
I talked with him and we spoke about the last season and how he sees me on the pitch in different formations. I knew this was the club for me.”
The No.24 looked assured on his full debut in Athens on Wednesday night, confidently stepping forward with the ball at his feet and aiming crosses in at Erling Haaland.
City are renowned for our possession-based football and regularly dominate passing statistics.
Guardiola has also used the likes of John Stones and Rico Lewis in innovative ways to help his side control matches.
Although as a defender his first job is to keep opposition attackers at bay, Gvardiol is excited to develop his attacking play under the guidance of our manager.
“I am the kind of player who likes to play with the ball and this is how Manchester City play which suits me really well,” he said.
“I believe everyone here just enjoys playing with the ball and sometimes it is not easy to play against tough teams which makes high pressure. So we just have to take responsibility and do our job.
“It is something I like and many times I have said that our careers are short, so me as a player I really like to learn some new things, especially if you talk about tactics.”
Having been a late substitute in the Premier League opener with Burnley, Gvardiol is still adjusting to English football.
The defender has impressed in two seasons in the Bundesliga and is well used to the rigours of competing in an elite European league.
However, he is excited to learn more about the Premier League as his first campaign in Manchester gathers pace.
“Tough opponents all of the time, no matter who we play against. You just have to be ready,” he said.
“If you talk about the rest of the teams and the football in the past, the football is a totally different kind of football.
“Today, most teams play with the ball and it definitely won’t be easy. But we also know our qualities and that is why we are here.
“There are always some things to work on and definitely I will need some time to adapt.”
CITY V NEWCASTLE APP COVERAGE
Our official app allows you to follow all of the action from one place.
Minute-by-minute text updates will begin in our Matchday Centre two hours before kick-off, while our Matchday Live show will begin at 18:50 (UK).
We have special guests Steve Howey, Shola Ameobi and Steph Houghton on the latest Matchday Live show, offering their expert insight before, during and after the action.
They will also answer viewer questions throughout the broadcast, with audience participation actively encouraged on Matchday Live. To get in touch, send a WhatsApp to: +447537186538.
During the game you can also listen to live audio commentary from Alistair Mann and Andy Morrison while our text commentary continues.
Make sure to have push notifications turned on as well, so you can be alerted to key moments in the action, including goals, red cards and the team news.
Short highlights, extended highlights, as well as a full-match replay, available on CITY+ and Recast, can be accessed from midnight.
