Pep Guardiola admitted it took him a while to work out Joao Cancelo as the Manchester City boss spoke of the "sensitive" full-back who has become a key component of his side.
Cancelo joined from Juventus in 2019, with the Portugal international initially struggling to establish himself in City's side.
Guardiola said there had been "mistakes" on his own part, and a lack of understanding from Cancelo about how City were looking for him to perform.
Both bridges were crossed long ago, and this week saw Cancelo and City agree to extend the player's contract by two years until 2027, with Guardiola saying such deals were "so important" for the team's future.
Cancelo has developed into one of the world's leading full-backs under Guardiola, currently deployed on the left but equally comfortable on the right, yet disagreements between player and coach stymied his start to life at the club.
"Everybody knows how important Joao is with us and what he has done in the last two seasons, especially this season," Guardiola said.
"We have struggled together in the first part when he arrived. We were not agreeing on many things, in part [because] of my mistakes. Now I'm so delighted he's fully happy here and can play in this club for the next years.
"He can play in many positions, and he can play every day. His physicality is impressive and of course the skillset he has, and he's beloved in the locker room because he's so funny.
"The club has to especially work for tomorrow, for the next months and the next years, and the decisions the club has made [regarding contracts] is because the club is working for the future and has to do this."
Where manager Guardiola and Cancelo once struggled to understand each other, now they are singing from the same hymn sheet.
"We know each other much better, and every player must be treated in a different way," said Guardiola, speaking in a news conference ahead of Saturday's FA Cup clash with Fulham.
"I needed more time to know him, how sensitive he is. He's an incredible person, has a big heart, so sensitive.
"Finally, I think now I understand him a little bit more. Especially because he's an important player for us. When he arrived, we have an instructor to understand the way we want to play, and he struggled a little bit to understand what we want to do.
"That was the reason why. There were not arguments. Every player's a world, and you have to understand them as much as possible. Sometimes you need time to understand each other."
Guardiola described Cancelo's enthusiasm as that of "an amateur player", pointing to his desire to play all the time.
"Like Phil Foden, it's the most important thing in his life," Guardiola said.
Cancelo directly contributed to eight goals for City last season (five assists, three goals), but he is stepping up his contribution this term.
He already has eight assists and three goals in 2021-22, also helping City keep 12 clean sheets across the 30 matches he has featured in.
Cancelo has created 87 chances in the Premier League since making his debut, which ranks him eighth in terms of defenders, with Trent Alexander-Arnold (211) leading the way.
Midfield prospect James McAtee, 19, was another City player to sign a new contract this week, and Guardiola thinks the youngster could have a role to play in the closing months of the season.
"Maybe we will need him. In the future we will see," Guardiola said. "It is important he's fully committed to the club. He arrived when he was a little, little boy, and he's a Man City supporter, and he loves to be here.
"We're more than delighted with the confidence he and his family have in the club and [that] he could extend his contract to stay here with us."
Eddie Howe ends his Pep Guardiola hoodoo as Newcastle knock out Man City
Eddie Howe was delighted to finally get the better of Pep Guardiola as he steered Newcastle past Manchester City into the Carabao Cup fourth round.
Last season’s beaten finalists triumphed 1-0 at St James’ Park, and then saw themselves drawn against City’s derby rivals Manchester United – their conquerors at Wembley in February – at Old Trafford.
For Magpies head coach Howe, it was a first win in 14 attempts against Guardiola as a manager, but that was not his main cause for celebration.
Howe said: “Yes, my record against him isn’t good, so it’s nice to win, but most importantly it’s not about that it’s about trying to progress in the competition and I’m delighted with the players, delighted with the efforts that they gave.
“It was a very difficult game for us in that first half, I thought they played very well. I thought we defended very well – we had to because we struggled, didn’t have much rhythm.
“But then the second half was a totally different performance. The balance of of the team was much better and I’m delighted with everyone’s commitment to the game.”
While Howe chose to rest 10 of the men who started Sunday’s 8-0 Premier League demolition of Sheffield United, opposite number Pep Guardiola made eight changes, although it was the way in which they used their respective benches which ultimately proved decisive.
The Spaniard kept star striker Erling Haaland in reserve and asked substitute Phil Foden to try to rescue the tie for him, while his opposite number changed the pattern of the game by sending on Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon at the break and reaped the rewards.
Newcastle have already lost to City and Liverpool in the league this season, so victory over one of the big boys was all the more welcome.
Howe said: “The only way you go into these games with more belief is by winning, so hopefully that will serve us well for the future. It shows that we are capable.
“Yes, both teams made changes, but all you can do is try to win the game and we did, and I’m delighted with the players.”
The game was settled by Alexander Isak’s 53rd-minute finish at the end of a powerful run by Joelinton, although City were left kicking themselves for not capitalising on their domination before the break and their failure to mount a fresh charge after it.
Asked if he was disappointed that his side could no longer win a quadruple to go with the treble they landed last season, a bemused Guardiola said: “You think the target was to win the quadruple? Honestly, it’s not.
“We competed really well and we are more than satisfied to win the treble. Our expectations are high, but not high enough to not be satisfied with that.”
Guardiola opted not to throw Haaland into the mix as time ran down, and was happy to defend that decision.
Asked if he considered sending the frontman on, he said: “No. I thought Kyle (Walker had played) a lot of minutes, Erling a lot of minutes. We have a lot of games ahead of us.
“Maybe the last 10-15 minutes, but I decided not to do it.”
Marco Silva knows Fulham need to start taking their chances
Marco Silva called for Fulham to be more ruthless in front of goal after their narrow 2-1 win over Norwich in the Carabao Cup third round.
Goals from Carlos Vinicius and Alex Iwobi sealed victory for the Cottagers despite Borja Sainz’s 75th-minute effort for the visitors.
Manager Silva believes Fulham need to convert more chances after they nearly paid the price for their earlier missed opportunities.
“We had some good moments but we missed many chances to kill the game before and to score more goals,” Silva said.
“Until the moment (Iwobi’s goal) we did not take the goal and against this type of team who have enthusiasm in this competition the game was tough and was always open.
“We created a big number of chances but we need to be more ruthless and effective.
“We have to finish moments when the ball is inside the box. We had it from the right and from the left so many times.
“We need to be more assertive in those moments because we created enough.”
Iwobi’s memorable second-half strike was his first Fulham goal since his reported £22million move from Everton on deadline day.
Silva lauded the Nigerian and mentioned the reasons behind signing the midfielder.
“As you know he’s a player I know really well and I was responsible for him to sign for Everton as well,” Silva added.
“I know what he can do as a player for ourselves in different positions on the pitch.
“He has qualities, he’s dynamic and his energy as well is going to make him an important player for us.”
Norwich manager David Wagner credited his side’s performance on a night where they narrowly avoided drawing level and forcing the game to penalties.
He said: “It was good to see us play by our structure and principles. We are a side who can be good against a Premier League side which is still the case even though we made changes.
“It was good and it will give us a major boost for what is in front of us.”
Late Martin Boyle brace fires Hibs into cup semi-finals after beating St Mirren
Martin Boyle’s late double settled a thriller against St Mirren and sent Hibs into the Viaplay Cup semi-finals following a 4-2 victory.
The visitors had gone in at half-time ahead thanks to Scott Tanser’s fine effort.
Goals from Elie Youan and Dylan Vente then gave Hibs the advantage, only for Keanu Baccus to level things at 2-2.
With 10 minutes left to play, Boyle smashed home what proved to be the winner before adding a late fourth to extend Nick Montgomery’s undefeated start as Hibs manager.
Montgomery made two changes to the side that defeated St Johnstone at the weekend as in came Christian Doidge and Youan, with Adam Le Fondre and Jair Tavares dropping out.
St Mirren also made two alterations after their win over Hearts. There were places for Caolan Boyd-Munce and Mikael Mandron, who replaced Baccus and Connor McMenamin.
It was the visitors who had the first chance but Greg Kiltie’s goalbound header lacked the power to trouble David Marshall.
Former Hibs midfielder Alex Gogic then had a stab goalwards from Boyd-Munce’s deep free-kick that was also saved.
Saints were on top at this point and Ryan Strain’s searching ball picked out Toyosi Olusanya but his lobbed effort over Marshall drifted off target.
Boyle then came within inches of getting onto the end of Joe Newell’s enticing ball from the Hibs right flank.
St Mirren moved in front two minutes before half-time when Strain’s back-post cross was headed backwards by Mandron and Tanser thrashed in a half-volley from the edge of the box.
Hibs had a good chance from a similar position early in the second half but this time Rocky Bushiri dragged his effort well wide.
The home side, though, did draw level after 52 minutes when Boyle’s corner was nodded towards goal by Will Fish for Youan to touch in from close range.
Two minutes later, Hibs were in front. Lewis Miller’s cross picked out Vente in space and the striker was able to turn before firing his shot beyond Zach Hemming.
Saints nearly fell further behind when Boyle was allowed to dribble in on goal before forcing Hemming into a smart stop.
But they worked their way level after 76 minutes. Mark O’Hara picked out Baccus and the Australia international was allowed to run in on goal before finishing well in the far corner.
Hibs, though, went back in front four minutes later. Gogic stretched to try to cut out a cross but could only divert it to Boyle, who scored via the underside of the bar.
The forward missed a sitter to extend Hibs’ lead but made no mistake in time added on to seal the win.
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