Barcelona manager Quique Setien has admitted that he may take a leaf out of Pep Guardiola and Manchester City’s book ahead of Sunday evening’s El Classico clash against Real Madrid.
The Sky Blues managed to expertly pull off an incredible 2-1 win at the Berbabeu this week in the Champions League.
And who was in attendance? None other than Barca boss Setien, who was scouting out his opposition in the La Liga this weekend,
Munro Deportivo report that he also stayed at the Eurostars Madrid Tower Hotel where Barcelona normally stay in the capital, and where City happened to be staying on Wednesday.
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It’s also thought that Setien and his assistant Eder Sarabia held talks with Guardiola himself about how he managed to conquer Zinedine Zidane’s ‘Blancos’.
That could see Barcelona employ a similar system to that used by City on Wednesday, with Barca legend Guardiola opting for an off-the-wall ‘false 9’.
Setien has admitted that he “spied” on Guardiola, one of Barcelona’s most successful managers ever, and insists that he has been influenced by the Spaniard’s work at the Etihad Stadium.
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“We get along. He has always been very cordial to me,” Setien told La Vanguardia. “While I was at Lugo, I visited him when I was a Barça coach.
“I like to chat with the technicians with whom I identify by their way of watching football or feeling it. Pep has always been a reference.
“The other day Gattuso said he had spied on me. Well, I can say that I spied on Guardiola.
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“There are things that the City did that can be worth us. We can identify your game with which we do. But there are also things that you don't see as profitable.”
Real Madrid vs Barcelona kicks off at 8pm GMT on Sunday.
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