Former England manager Fabio Capello has never been one to shy away from controversy. His latest comments about Pep Guardiola, given in an interview with El Mundo, have ignited debate across the footballing world. The Italian, who managed Guardiola at Roma, has labelled the Manchester City boss “arrogant” and even suggested he has done “tremendous damage” to football.
But is there any validity to these claims, or is Capello merely taking aim at the most influential manager of his generation?
Capello’s Accusations – Arrogance and Overcomplication
Despite initially acknowledging Guardiola’s brilliance, Capello did not hold back when dissecting his flaws.
“Do you know what I don’t like about Guardiola? His arrogance.”
Capello’s main gripe appears to be Guardiola’s insistence on tactical overthinking in key matches. The Italian suggests that Guardiola’s desire to be the central figure, rather than allowing his players to take the spotlight, has cost him several Champions League titles.
“He changed things and made up things so he could say: ‘The players don’t win, I win.’ And that arrogance has cost him several Champions Leagues.”
This critique isn’t entirely unfounded. Guardiola’s history of over-tinkering on the biggest stage is well-documented, particularly during his time at Bayern Munich and early years at City. However, his recent Champions League triumph in 2023 came after a more pragmatic approach—perhaps proving Capello’s point.
The Guardiola Effect – Revolution or Ruination?
While Capello acknowledges Guardiola’s role in shaping modern football, he controversially argues that the obsession with his philosophy has had a detrimental effect, particularly in Italy.
“Everyone has spent ten years trying to copy him. That has ruined Italian football, which has lost its nature.”
This criticism reflects a broader debate about Guardiola’s influence. His teams prioritise possession-based play, short passing, and technical excellence, which some argue has led to a more sterile version of the sport. The complaint that football has become too methodical, too predictable, is not new.
Capello takes this a step further, lamenting the shift towards goalkeepers playing out from the back:
“Now in Italian football, the goalkeeper plays the ball! A disaster and also a bore that has scared many people away from football.”
There’s an irony here. Many of the tactics Guardiola popularised have been used by national teams and clubs to great success, including Spain’s Euro 2024 win, which Capello himself praises. It raises the question—if this approach is truly ruining football, why does it keep winning?
Football’s Future – A Changing Game
Capello’s frustration appears to stem from a sense of nostalgia for a bygone era of football. His desire for a more direct, fast-paced game contrasts with Guardiola’s more controlled and intricate style.
However, football is always evolving. Just as Guardiola built upon the principles of Johan Cruyff and Arrigo Sacchi, future managers will take his ideas and adapt them. Perhaps Capello’s real frustration is not with Guardiola himself, but with the wider game’s shift away from traditional Italian football.
Despite his criticisms, Guardiola remains the benchmark for modern managers. Even after a difficult 2024/25 campaign, he is still widely regarded as the best in the business. Capello’s words may resonate with some, but history will likely remember Guardiola as a revolutionary rather than a ruinous force.
Our View – EPL Index
Concerned football supporters will see this as an outdated critique rather than an insightful analysis. While Capello raises some fair points about Guardiola’s tendency to overcomplicate things in key matches, his claim that the Catalan has “damaged football” feels extreme.
Possession-based football is not inherently dull—it has led to some of the most dominant teams in history. The idea that playing out from the back has “ruined” Italian football is also questionable, especially when teams like Napoli have shown that a possession-based approach can be highly effective in Serie A.
Of course, fans of more direct, physical football may sympathise with Capello’s frustrations. Many supporters miss the days of high-intensity, end-to-end matches instead of intricate passing sequences that often feel like chess games. But football evolves, and Guardiola’s philosophy is simply the latest evolution—just as Capello’s own tactical approaches once were.
If anything, Guardiola’s influence has forced football to become more technical, more tactical, and more demanding. For some, that’s a problem. For others, it’s progress.
