Wenger: "If anyone understands feeling the pressure Guardiola that's me"

Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger said he was "surprised" Pep Guardiola's decision to leave the bench of FC Barcelona.

"For me it is a surprise to see Guardiola left Barcelona. May not be the best time to take such an important decision, just one week after living with so many disappointments," Wenger said in a statement included in the team's website in London.

Alsatian coach also believes that "the philosophy of Barcelona has to be bigger than winning or losing a championship." "Guardiola is one of the representatives of this philosophy and the person who did it succeed," said Wenger. The coach of the "gunners" also explained that he had "loved to see this philosophy insisting Guardiola on the bench for Barcelona after a disappointing year," which would be "interesting."

The Catalan coach, who left Barcelona after four years full of successes and triumphs that won 13 titles, will take a year out of football, a decision that Wenger "understands". "Believe me, if anyone understands feeling the pressure Guardiola that's me," said French. "I can understand that there are some coaches who take career breaks," he said. "From the outside you can not really see what a man suffers. Perhaps he has not shown much stress, but it sure has felt. I understand that you take some time to rest and reflect," said Wenger.

The French coach who joined Arsenal in 1996, said he decided to do "the opposite of Guardiola," not taking any rest in his long career. "The work ends up being your life, but I understand why some people have to rest from time to time," the Alsatian. (via SPORT)