Mikel Arteta has paid tribute to Pep Guardiola ahead of their FA Cup fourth round clash.
The Arsenal manager worked under Guardiola at Manchester City before taking charge at Emirates Stadium in December 2019, and is now in the middle of a title race in the Premier League with his former mentor.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of Friday's game between the Gunners and City and the Etihad Stadium, Arteta said he was inspired by Guardiola, and compared his impact on football to that of Johan Cruyff.
"I feel gratitude, first of all, because he inspired me as a player, and he inspired me and gave me the opportunity as a coach," the Spaniard said.
"I wouldn't probably have had the career that I had as a player, the understanding of the game or the purpose that I had as a player if he hadn't been at that time at Barcelona.
"And I wouldn't be sitting here and having that willingness and that love for coaching if we hadn't crossed in my life and he hadn't given the opportunity that he gave me. That's it."
Arteta spent three years as a player in Barcelona's C and B teams before leaving for Rangers in 2002, while Guardiola was a part of the Blaugrana's first team at the same time.
"I was looking at him and I just wanted to do it what he was doing," Arteta explained. "And I loved the way he played and the way he was transmitting on the pitch and his understanding what was happening on the pitch. It was an inspiration, since I was 18 years old."
Guardiola helped turn Barca into a dominant force as a head coach, before successful spells at Bayern Munich and City, and Arteta said he has picked up a lot from working with him closely.
"I think the influence that Pep has had on football in the past 20 years, it's just incredibly powerful," he said. "He changed the game, like Johan did in the past... we have been inspired by a lot of things that he's done.
"Everyone has to build his own career and his own pathway. A career is not for six months, or a year, or two years. Let's see and let everybody develop the way that they should."
Leeds United close Elland Road after security threat
Leeds United closed their Elland Road stadium "until further notice" on Friday following a security threat.
A threat was made on Thursday, reportedly on social media, leading to action being taken by the Premier League club.
A statement from Leeds read: "Leeds United's offices, ticket office, Foundation offices and club shop at Elland Road will be closed until further notice on the advice of the police.
"We apologise for any inconvenience and we will inform the public when normal service resumes."
A West Yorkshire Police statement added: "Police were called to attend at Elland Road football stadium following reports of a security threat to the premises.
"Investigations are currently ongoing to establish the credibility of that threat. The report was received at 9.49pm last night."
Napoli chief confident of Spalletti stay as contract talks remain on hold
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is confident coach Luciano Spalletti will remain with the Scudetto hopefuls beyond the expiration of his contract at the end of the season.
Napoli appear destined to win their first Serie A title since the Diego Maradona era this campaign, having built a huge 19-point lead over second-placed Lazio.
Having earned a club-record 71 points from their first 27 games of the Serie A season, Napoli will also face Milan in the club's first Champions League quarter-final appearance next month.
Napoli reportedly hold an option to trigger a 12-month extension to Spalletti's contract, with the 64-year-old having previously ruled out talks over fresh terms before the title is secured.
De Laurentiis is not worried about the prospect of Spalletti walking away, praising the coach's seismic impact upon the club as he recalled his 2021 appointment on Friday.
Speaking at an event in Naples, De Laurentiis recalled: "To throw everyone off the track, I went for [Sergio] Conceicao and [Massimiliano] Allegri, who came to give me football lessons in my office four times.
"In the end, Luciano came to bring us back to the top three in Italy and also last year, something different could have happened.
"If the rules of football were different, perhaps we would have brought the Scudetto to Naples a few other times already. Spalletti will stay in Naples."
Napoli host Milan in their next Serie A fixture on April 2, while the first leg of their Champions League last-eight tie with the Rossoneri will take place 10 days later at San Siro.
Aguero rates chance of Messi return to Barca at '50 per cent'
Lionel Messi has a "50 per cent" chance of returning to Barcelona, according to former team-mate and close friend Sergio Aguero.
Messi left Barca for French side Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 after a long and decorated spell with the Catalan giants, winning 10 LaLiga titles and lifting the Champions League on four occasions.
His time in the French capital has been mixed, however, failing to deliver PSG's long-awaited first Champions League having been knocked out in the last 16 the last two seasons.
Messi scored his 800th career goal with a stunning free-kick as Argentina returned after World Cup glory in Qatar with a 2-0 victory over Panama on Thursday.
With the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner's contract at the Parc des Princes set to expire at the end of this campaign, Aguero feels a reunion with the club he first joined when he was 13 could be on the cards.
Aguero called upon Barca president Joan Laporta to bring Messi back to Camp Nou, telling Kings League's Twitch: "Laporta has to make an effort to bring Leo back.
"I think Leo should retire at Barca. Barcelona is his home, he has to finish his career here.
"My feeling is that there is a 50 per cent chance that he will return.
"I think if Laporta does that step [to contact Messi], everything will be much closer to happening."
Messi's Argentina are back in action on Tuesday against Curacao, when the 35-year-old will have the opportunity to score his 100th goal for La Albiceleste having moved on to 99 with his historic strike against Panama.
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