- Manchester City face Southampton in the FA Cup
- Saints boss Tonda Eckert has praised Pep Guardiola
- The German admires Pep’s ‘aura’
Southampton manager Tonda Eckert has spoken of his admiration for ‘inspirational’ Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, praising his ‘aura’ ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final.
This weekend, Man City take on Championship side Southampton at Wembley in what promises to be an exciting encounter.
Pep Guardiola’s Carabao Cup-winning side will be looking to make it two domestic cup wins this season, after they beat Arsenal 2-0 in last month’s final.
The Saints also overcame the Gunners in cup action this season, knocking Mikel Arteta’s men out in the quarter-finals to set up Saturday’s semi-final, and manager Eckert has been full of praise for his opposing coach this weekend.
Pep Guardiola an ‘inspiration’ for Southampton boss Tonda Eckert
Speaking ahead of their much-anticipated FA Cup clash, Saints boss Eckert spoke of the impact Guardiola has had on his fledgeling coaching career.
The German told TNT Sports of his admiration for the City manager, and how much other coaches aspire to emulate the Catalan.
Eckert said: “He has been an inspiration for many coaches, younger and older ones. And it’s the same for me. I always enjoyed watching his teams play.
"There's not many managers in the game with his aura, experience and success"
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 24, 2026
Southampton manager Tonda Eckert on facing-off against Pep Guardiola in the FA Cup semi-finals this weekend 🤝 pic.twitter.com/dcl0t1WOE0
“I was obviously quite close to the times when he was at Bayern Munich and had a look at a couple of the training sessions that he’s done.”
Saints boss Eckert praises Guardiola’s ‘aura’
Few managers in the world come close to matching Guardiola’s trophy collection, something Eckert acknowledged.
However, the Saints boss also praised the ‘aura’ and humility of his City counterpart, despite the incredible success Guardiola has enjoyed at the Etihad.
Wembley awaits… The FA Cup semi-finals are happening this weekend! 🏟️
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 22, 2026
You can watch both games on TNT Sports on HBO Max 📺 pic.twitter.com/UC18EeI492
Eckert continued: “I think there aren’t many managers out there in the game with the aura and experience and success that he’s had over many, many years consecutively.
“The thing that I find inspiring and what most identifies him is the humility that he has every single day. I think that’s been a big thing for us as well, especially if you win games.”
City will not underestimate high-flying Saints
While Saturday’s matchup might look like a lopsided one on paper, Guardiola will know his players must remain professional and focussed against Southampton.
The Championship promotion chasers are unbeaten in 20 games, and have climbed from 21st to fourth in the second tier since Eckert took over.
City should have enough quality to get through this one, but there will be no room for complacency against a Saints side in incredible form and high on confidence.
