Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, has described departing Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola, as “the best coach in the history of football” ahead of Sunday’s Community Shield meeting between the two sides.

Arteta, who worked as Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City for four years before taking charge of Arsenal, paid tribute to his former boss during his pre-match press conference published by Arsenal on Friday.

Guardiola left City after 10 years in charge, having transformed the club into one of the dominant forces in English football.

Arteta said he would “probably fall short” in trying to praise Guardiola’s achievements, while crediting the Spaniard with elevating standards across the Premier League.

“I’m probably going to fall short in the way I can praise what he’s done.

“First of all for the Premier League, for the country, the way he has opened a different way of understanding the game, and I think he has escalated the Premier League to a different level,” Arteta said, according to a statement published on Arsenal’s website on Friday.

Arteta, who spent four years working alongside Guardiola at City, said he had witnessed first-hand the standards his former manager demanded on a daily basis.

“He has brought standards to something that we haven’t witnessed before; I was very lucky to be part of it for four years and to understand and witness how it’s done daily.

“It’s remarkable, it’s unique, and I’ve always said before that I think he’s the best coach in the history of football for many reasons,” he said.

The Arsenal manager pointed to Guardiola’s success across different countries and leagues, as well as his ability to maintain that level over an extended period.

“He’s done it in many different countries and leagues, but in a really consistent and sustainable way, which is the hardest thing to do,” Arteta said.

“I think he’s going to be missed in the Premier League – I don’t know if as coaches we’ll miss him so much! It’s so difficult to play against him and to compete in the manner that he does with his teams.”

Arteta also credited Guardiola with improving coaches and teams across the league.

The spanish coach noted, “First of all, I have gratitude for the time I have had with him, which was incredible and then because I think he’s elevated all the coaches and teams to work in different ways, and he’s made all of us better.

“He’s been a pleasure, and now it’s Enzo [Maresca], who is as good as him because I know him well. He’ll provide something different to the club and I wish him the best.”

Guardiola departure possible

Asked whether he knew Guardiola could leave City before the announcement, Arteta said he did not, although he had sensed the possibility during the previous year.

“100% not, but I had some feeling and some understanding that this could be,” he said.

“You could sense it in the last year that there could have been a situation of it happening, but with someone like him, he could wake up in the morning and be so excited about what he sees around him and carry on doing it – as he has done for 10 years, which nowadays is something just incredible.”

Winning the league against Guardiola

Arsenal won the Premier League last season, ending City’s recent dominance, and Arteta admitted competing against Guardiola’s side had been one of the biggest challenges of his career.

“It’s obviously one of the biggest challenges I have faced in my career, because I know the standards,” Arteta said.

“They had the backroom, the stability, the quality to go and do it again, so it’s been a real challenge.”

Arteta said Arsenal’s pursuit of the title had also been driven by the need to continually improve across the club.

“As I said, I took it in a way that regardless of what happened, this would make us better and push boundaries time after time in every department of the club, to try and reach this level,” he said.

Reflecting on the gap between Arsenal and City when he first arrived at the Emirates, Arteta said: “When I arrived here, I had a sense, in terms of distance and years, of how far we were behind, because I was there to witness the daily operation and the level to be able to win it.”

“To do it in the time that we’ve done it, I think we should feel proud.”

Arteta backs Maresca

With Guardiola departing, former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca will take charge of Manchester City.

Arteta backed his fellow Spaniard to succeed, saying he has the character and knowledge required for the job.

“I don’t know the intricacies, but I know Enzo has the character and especially the knowledge to do an unbelievable job there,” Arteta said.

“That’s why he has been selected, because they can probably pick anybody, and they’ve gone for Enzo for the right reasons.”

“He has demonstrated at every level, when he’s gone to the Champions League, what he’s done at Chelsea and now at City. I’m sure he’ll do a great job.”

Arsenal face City at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Sunday, with the Community Shield offering the first major domestic silverware of the 2026/27 campaign.