Pep Guardiola thinks Postecoglou has signed an ‘unstoppable’ player for Tottenham
Pep Guardiola praised Lucas Bergvall as “unstoppable” despite Manchester City’s narrow 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur. In a game where Spurs endured significant first-half pressure and conceded only to Erling Haaland’s early goal, they responded with a dominant second-half display, forcing City onto the back foot.
Guardiola, impressed by Tottenham’s intensity at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, singled out Bergvall for his impact. When asked about his exchange with Spurs full-back Djed Spence at full-time, he jokingly questioned why Spence ran so much, suggesting he should remain calmer to maximize his influence.
He highlighted the physicality of Tottenham’s squad, comparing Destiny Udogie’s energy to Spence’s and emphasizing Bergvall’s relentless running, which he described as unstoppable.
Guardiola acknowledged the overall quality of Tottenham’s team, mentioning Spence, Pedro Porro, Udogie, Dejan Kulusevski, and Son Heung-min as part of an incredibly athletic squad with a well-defined playing style.
Despite missing key defenders Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, who he considers among the best in the league, Spurs managed to make the game competitive, especially in the second half.
Bergvall, only 19, has emerged as a bright spark in a struggling Tottenham side since arriving for £8.5 million from Djurgarden last summer.
The young midfielder has featured in 20 Premier League matches under Ange Postecoglou and has been equally influential in Europe, where he has played eight Europa League games and contributed three crucial assists.
With domestic silverware already out of reach and their Premier League campaign falling below expectations, Tottenham see the Europa League as their last realistic chance at success this season. Their next challenge comes against AZ Alkmaar in the round of 16, a fixture that could define their European ambitions.
Spurs’ struggles in the 2024/25 Premier League campaign have left them sitting in 12th place with 10 wins, three draws, and 14 defeats. They trail fifth-placed Chelsea by 13 points and are 14 points behind Manchester City, who remain in contention for another Champions League qualification spot.
A season plagued by injuries has compounded Tottenham’s problems, with key players such as Romero, Van de Ven, Richarlison, Dominic Solanke, and Radu Dragusin sidelined.
Manchester City, led by six-time Premier League-winning manager Guardiola, have also experienced an underwhelming season by their usual high standards. While their form has improved in recent weeks, earlier inconsistencies have left them 20 points behind league leaders Liverpool with just 11 games remaining.
City’s European campaign also faltered, as they barely scraped through the new Champions League league phase, finishing 22nd, before being eliminated by Real Madrid with a 6-3 aggregate loss in the knockout stage qualifiers.
With their title hopes fading, City now turn their attention to domestic competitions, preparing for an FA Cup fifth-round encounter against Plymouth Argyle, who shocked Liverpool with a 1-0 victory earlier this month.
Meanwhile, Spurs are gearing up for their crucial Europa League showdown against Alkmaar next Thursday before hosting AFC Bournemouth in their next Premier League fixture. Both teams have plenty to fight for in the final stretch of the season, but for Tottenham, their European aspirations remain their primary focus.