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Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Pep Guardiola Is the Most 'Immature' Coach I Ever Had

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has reopened his war of words with Pep Guardiola as he branded the Manchester City boss "immature" after the club's derby antics.
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic has reopened his war of words with Pep Guardiola as he branded the Manchester City boss "immature" after the club's derby antics.

Ibrahimovic played under Guardiola for one season at Barcelona, but the pair had a huge falling out after the Manchester United striker was aggrieved at the latter's desire to build his team around Lionel Messi at the time.

The ex-Sweden international hasn't seen eye to eye with the Spaniard since, and was quoted by Sky Sports about Guardiola's man-management skills in the wake of City's 2-1 triumph over their city rivals on Sunday.

Guardiola admitted that it was he who had told his players to celebrate their win at Old Trafford in over-exuberant fashion, and Ibrahimovic claimed that such behaviour stems from the 45-year-old's time in charge at Camp Nou.

He remarked: "The first six months were perfect, then the manager changed system, tactics and it didn't work for me. I went to talk to him. I'm here to talk, if you think it's for another reason then we can't talk.

"I said: 'I believe that you are sacrificing some players for one player, Messi'. He said: 'I don't think this is the case but I understand what you say. I will take care of it, no problem, I will solve everything'. I thought it would be OK.

"The following game I was on the bench. I don't say anything, I work. Second match bench again. I thought he solved it well and he was not talking to me or explaining. Third match bench. Then the fourth match comes and bench again.

"I think something is strange. From that moment he stopped talking to me, looking at me. I go into a room and he walks out of it. He was not a bad person, but the most immature I've had because a man solves his problems."