And his rival at the time, United manager Mourinho, is said to have consequently aimed a dig at the Spaniard.
According to the Daily Mail, the Portuguese asked with heartfelt incredulity: “Where is he?”
Guardiola is not afraid of moaning about the protection of players, with particular reference to refereeing standards and English football’s festive calendar, and the meeting is seen as the perfect time to raise such gripes.
For whatever issues Guardiola has with the modern game his players have certainly not shown any frailties over the last few years.
Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola did not have the best of relationships in Spain (Image: Getty)
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Pep Guardiola has not attended the UEFA coaches meeting in the past (Image: Getty)
Mourinho’s United failed to threaten City’s dominance on English football, which always seemed inevitable under Guardiola.
The Iberian pair had a far more muted rivalry in the Premier League than they had ignited in La Liga, when Barcelona and Real Madrid went toe-to-toe for the league title season after season.
Liverpool gaffer Jurgen Klopp has similarly berated the schedules which international players undergo and called for football’s governing bodies to make a change.
The German did not feature at the forum last year, though, and may well miss the 2019 gathering next week.
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