Aymeric Laporte does not question Pep Guardiola’s football brain. He questions the man behind it.
The Spain international drew that line on the “El Camino de Mario” podcast hosted by former Spain midfielder Mario Suárez.
“Tactically, he’s one of the best in football. In terms of interpersonal relationships, perhaps the worst,” Laporte told the podcast.
Laporte joined from Athletic Bilbao in January 2018 for £57m, then a club record, and left in 2023 with 13 major trophies: five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three League Cups, a Champions League and a UEFA Super Cup.
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On the same podcast the defender described how Guardiola had recruited him personally during his time at Bayern Munich.
“When Guardiola was at Bayern, he already had the City project in mind. He told me he was going to City and he’d like me to partner with Stones,” Laporte said.
“I was ready to go to another league, so I went to City. The rest is history.”
City guilty on 114 of 115 charges
The comments have surfaced in the same week Manchester City were found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges of financial wrongdoing brought against them, covering the 2009-10 to 2022-23 seasons.
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Premier League chief executive Richard Masters called the case “the most significant in Premier League history” and said the club had systematically broken league rules for nearly a decade.
Sanctions will be decided at a later hearing. Manchester City are expected to appeal, with a deadline of Friday, 2 October.
Guardiola stepped down in May
Guardiola himself is no longer in the Etihad dugout. He announced on 22 May 2026 that he would step down at the end of the 2025-26 season after ten years, and Enzo Maresca was appointed as his successor on 29 June on a three-year contract. Guardiola has taken up a role as global ambassador within the City Football Group.
Laporte has returned to Athletic Bilbao, the club City signed him from in 2018.
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