Lucescu: Guardiola is more arrogant than Mourinho

Pep Guardiola is more arrogant than his Manchester rival Jose Mourinho, according to veteran Zenit St Petersburg coach Mircea Lucescu.

United boss Mourinho is often accused of possessing a large ego while City chief Guardiola is widely considered the more measured of the two.

However, well-travelled Lucescu, a former coach of Inter, Galatasaray and Shakhtar Donetsk among others, says the Portuguese is an “amazing guy” but was less complementary about Spaniard Guardiola.

The 71-year-old told Dolce Sport: “Mourinho is an amazing guy, but my way of understanding football is totally different because I have an offensive mentality. 

“All my teams have broken records for goals.

“Mourinho seems more arrogant than Guardiola but it is exactly the opposite.

“Either way, both are great coaches.”

Mourinho and Guardiola have a tempestuous relationship after several verbal confrontations during their time at Real Madrid and Barcelona, although public attempts were seemingly made at building bridges prior to the Manchester derby in the Premier League at Old Trafford in September – a game City won 2-1.

They meet again at the same venue on October 26 in the EFL Cup.