Ahead of the Manchester derby, few would give Manchester Untied a chance of beating Manchester City even though the Red Devils have 78 derby wins to City’s 60. But over the last few years, the Cityzens have thrived, losing just four derbies since January 2020. That does include six wins since January 2021, while United have won just two. However, that has been the case ever since Pep Guardiola arrived as the Spaniard has turned the tide in the derby for the sky blue side.
Yet despite that, United’s youth production is far superior to City’s as the latter has focused more on big-name signings like Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and a few others. But over the last few years, City’s academy has held it’s own with Phil Foden playing a starring role. He alongside Cole Palmer (now at Chelsea), Rico Lewis, Oscar Bobb and a few others have all made a name for themselves.
Guardiola hoping that City’s academy reaches legendary La Masia’s status
So much so, that it has Pep Guardiola raving about the City academy and he admitted that he would love it if the Cityzens’ academy can one day reach La Masia status. The Spaniard famously led Barcelona to two Champions League crowns with a core of La Masia stars. But despite wanting to, Guardiola confessed that it might be tougher to replicate that as players want more game-time now.
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“We’d love it. I remember in Barcelona we played two Champions League finals against United and seven of them were from the academy. What does it mean? Zero! We didn’t get any profit because they were so good and we didn’t sell them. But that is the dream. Players who love the club, born here. Sometimes it’s not possible because foreign players are so good,” Guardiola told the Telegraph.
“Erling Haaland is from Norway. We’d love to have Erling from the academy but you have to invest. We’ve sold a lot of young players in the last year who make us sustainable but maybe they could play here, we’ll never know. In that moment they want to start to play and every situation is different.”
More emphasis on the youth academy now at clubs
While not as prolific as Chelsea’s or Manchester United’s academies, Manchester City’s academy has produced a fair number of stars over the years. That does include Foden, Palmer and the rest but also the likes of Gavin Bazunu, Romeo Lavia, Samuel Edozie, James Trafford and several others. All players that City sold to balance their books, which Guardiola points out too. He also added that the focus has changed to the academies in an attempt to be more sustainable.
“It’s more sustainable for the clubs and we had that feeling always, I don’t know why, that academy players who grew up here have something special that always works – don’t ask me why – it always works. There are players here but look what the players at Southampton have done, and Cole in Chelsea, and Tosin in Fulham, for example.
“So, always, they are stable. The academy works really well, and allies processes, every day for many years working really well. And this is every time, it’s a little bit a drop of something in your body that you understand the game, you understand many things, the culture, whatever.
“When you run with young players it always works, don’t ask me why, but it always works. It happened here, happened at the academy in Barcelona, and Madrid, even Bayern Munich. The clubs I have been, the young players always they have something and now with this situation, financial fair play, you are right – it’s a way to be sustainable and it works,” he added.