Guardiola will change the face of English football: Xavi

Former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Xavi has backed incoming ManchesterCity manager Pep Guardiola to leave his mark on the Premier League after taking over from the departing Manuel Pellegrini on July 1.

Guardiola won 21 trophies in his time in charge of Barcelona and Bayern Munich and has been hired by City's owners in the hope that he can lead the team to a first Champions League title.

City reached the semi-final of Europe's elite club competition for the first time this season but were knocked out of the tournament by 10-time winners Real Madrid.

"It's a big opportunity for him at ManchesterCity. I think he will change the face of English football," Xavi, who joined Qatari club Al Sadd in May last year, told the website for Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (www.sc.qa).

"If there is anyone capable of changing that mentality, it is Guardiola... He is without doubt one of the best coaches in the world at the moment."

Guardiola achieved a double in his final season in Germany, with Bayern winning the Bundesliga and beating Borussia Dortmund on penalties to win the German Cup in his last game in charge.

Image: Pep Guardiola speaks to Xavi

Photograph: Jasper Juinen/Getty Images