Spanish coach Pep Guardiola has identified the coach who will assist him in the technical management of Manchester City, a position that has been vacant since Michael Arteta left Arsenal.
Guardiola chose fellow Juanma Lillo as his assistant, with whom he learned the basics of training. Lilo, 54, announced the termination of his contract with Chengdao Huanghai of China due to his need to be close to his mother, but press reports confirmed that this step precedes Lilo's contract with Manchester City.
The coach and his teacher maintain a distinguished relationship since their first meeting in Mexico in 2006, when Guardiola trained at Lilo at the Sinaloa Club, and he obtained a distinguished training from the coach known for his strength in theory, and benefited from this period in developing his abilities in a number of aspects, including physical preparation and healthy nutrition And management art.
Lilo was the youngest coach to lead a La Liga team with his training in Salamanca in 1995, and he was just 29 years old, and despite his great theoretical capabilities, he did not succeed in leaving a mark during his coaching career that led him to several countries including Mexico and Colombia.
Ironically, Lilo was dismissed from Almeria’s training in 2010 after receiving the humiliating 0-8 defeat by Barcelona, who were led by Guardiola.
Lilo said in previous statements that he considered Guardiola as his son, and the latter did not hide his admiration for his teacher and described earlier as the best coach he worked with alongside Dutchman Johan Cruyff.
Professor Guardiola is expected to arrive in England in the coming days in order to complete the details of his contract with Manchester City, and the succession of Arteta who left for Arsenal training last December.