'Impossible' - how Pep Guardiola fuels Man City

Pep Guardiola might be in uncharted territory deep into his reign at Manchester City but he hasn't dropped the intensity that drives him on the training ground and matchdays, according to Blues goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.

Guardiola is heading into his ninth season at the Etihad, having only previously done four years at Barcelona and three years at Bayern Munich. His current City contract expires at the end of 2024/25, when he is expected to leave the club.

But that desire to find perfection within football is still consuming the 53-year-old and those demands can make life hard for the players at times. Ortega has spent the previous two seasons working under Guardiola and is now about to enjoy a third, having penned a one-year contract extension to keep him at the club until 2026. The German now watches football in a different way thanks to his two-year tutorship from Guardiola.

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"Sometimes it is really hard because he tries to perfect, but obviously everyone knows that to be perfect it is impossible," said Ortega. "But it is just enjoyable because if you work under Pep, he opens your view of football in a completely new way, it is incredible. For example, when I watch football now, I watch it so differently to before.

"You just get so many inputs of Pep that you realise after a bit of time. He is incredible, he is a top guy and it is a privilege to work with him."

Ortega might be learning from Guardiola but he spends more of his time working with the club's goalkeeping coaches and credits with them for the improvement in his game. He has played 34 times across