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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola backs Xabi Alonso for future as a top manager after retirement

Pep Guardiola is convinced Xabi Alonso will follow him in becoming a top manager.

The central midfielder — who Guardiola signed at Bayern Munich in 2014 — announced this week that he is retiring at the end of the season.

Bayern are also losing Philipp Lahm from May and Manchester City's boss believes Alonso has the mindset to succeed as a No 1.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is backing Xabi Alonso to follow in his footsteps
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is backing Xabi Alonso to follow in his footsteps
Guardiola believes that the retiring Bayern Munich midfielder has the ability to be a boss
Guardiola believes that the retiring Bayern Munich midfielder has the ability to be a boss

'We were rivals, big rivals when he was at Real Madrid,' Guardiola said.