Pep Guardiola will adapt his tactics to combat a particular opponent. He is flexible and prepared to move players into unusual roles if it means nullifying a key element of the opposition’s game.
However, there are certain principles he will not alter, and if players don’t show aptitude for what he wants, his ruthless streak allows him to discard them.
When he took over at Barcelona—his first top-flight job in management—he immediately got rid of Ronaldinho, Deco and Gianluca Zambrotta, three established stars, and 12 months later, he did the same with Samuel Eto’o.
In his eyes, those players were either bad for squad harmony, unable to play in the style he wanted or both.