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The four-time Champions League winner spoke to GOAL ahead of the final between Manchester City and Inter in Istanbul

Pep Guardiola is on the brink of winning the treble with Manchester City and if his side can take down Inter Milan in the Champions League final, he will join a select group of only three coaches to have won Europe's biggest prize three times.

In the eyes of many, the Catalan is the best coach in the world and the best in the history of the Champions League, if not the 67 years of the European Cup. He has elevated Barcelona, Bayern Munich and now City to an entirely new level, setting the record for winning the highest number of points in La Liga and the Premier League while winning the Bundesliga in the fastest time ever.

He has also produced scintillating football with each club and his City side have outclassed Real Madrid and Bayern Munich on their way to the Champions League final this term.

But Clarence Seedorf, a four-time Champions League winner as a player, is not convinced that Guardiola deserves more praise than any of the other legendary European coaches who have hoisted the trophy.

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  'There are other ways to play football'

  The former Netherlands midfielder is keen to stress that Guardiola is an immense coach, but he does not accept the idea that what he is doing with Manchester City is any more impressive than Jurgen Klopp's work with Liverpool or Carlo Ancelotti's job with Real Madrid or AC Milan.

  Seedorf points to the fact that Guardiola has not won the Champions League for 12 years, since his Barcelona side outclassed Manchester United to win 3-1 in the 2011 final at Wembley Stadium.

  "I saw Klopp do the same, I saw Ancelotti do the same," Seedorf, a FedEx Express Ambassador for the UEFA Champions League final, tells GOAL in Istanbul.

  "He has his style but he didn't win the Champions League the last years. I'm not disregarding Guardiola, I have high esteem for Guardiola but people sometimes confuse the fact that there is not only one way of playing, there are other ways of playing football.

  "Klopp has a different style from Ancelotti, Ancelotti is different from Guardiola, [Vicente] Del Bosque, [Zinedine] Zidane was different and they all won – and not one time, they won it multiple times.

  "So I think we should appreciate and respect Guardiola for what he’s doing as a coach, he is obviously one of the best coaches in the world and the way he asks his players to play the game is fantastic, but that doesn’t mean that’s the only way."

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  Inter still a bigger club than City

  City are enjoying a golden age under Guardiola and have just won their fifth Premier League title in six years, in addition to completing a domestic double by beating Manchester United in last week's FA Cup final.

  Inter had more than a decade in the wilderness after their last Champions League triumph in 2010 under Jose Mourinho, and did not win another Serie A title until Antonio Conte led them to the Scudetto in 2021. They then captured the Coppa Italia in consecutive seasons under Simone Inzaghi.

  However, Seedorf still considers the three-time European champions to be a bigger club than City, who are still waiting to win the Champions League for the first time. And he thinks history could play its part in the final, even though he admits Guardiola's side are the favourites.

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  'City need to build that legacy'

  "I don't think they are the overwhelming favourites, they are the favourites in terms of what they have shown in the last matches, but Inter Milan is one of the top four clubs in Italy," Seedorf says.

  "Historically they have won many Champions Leagues already so City as a club is not there yet. They are facing a bigger club than they are in [terms of] the history, so I think that’s a nice challenge. City wants to get there, they need to win Champions Leagues to build that legacy as a club so that is a nice thing but I would never count out any Italian squad in any final."

  Seedorf also says that despite their recent success, City are still not as big a club as their Manchester rivals United.

  "There are some things Man City needs to build still. I'm close to [Manchester City chairman] Khaldoon Al Mubarak and I follow the whole process and I love what’s happening there. But people need to give this club time to become a Man United, an AC Milan a Real Madrid," he adds.

  "It needs time, history is written over time but at this moment it's a club that's doing fantastically well, having great players and are the best in Europe so I don't like to look at it like that."

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  Iconic Champions League final moments

  Seedorf is speaking to GOAL at the UEFA Champions Festival in Istanbul, standing in front of four giant cardboard sculptures, of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Steven Gerrard and Gareth Bale.

  The sculptures, constructed entirely from recycled FedEx Express cardboard boxes, form the Champions Unboxed exhibition and have been displayed outside the Ataturk Olympic Stadium ahead of the final.

  The structures were created by world-renowned Canadian sculptor and artist, Laurence Vallieres. Vallieres made the sculptures after fans voted on social media for their most iconic UEFA Champions League final moments.

  The four most iconic moments as voted for by the fans and brought to life by Vallieres are: Gerrard beginning the famous ‘Miracle of Istanbul’ comeback for Liverpool against AC Milan in 2005; Ronaldo’s headed goal for Manchester United in the 2008 final vs Chelsea; Messi’s celebration following his goal against United for Barcelona in 2009 and Bale’s jaw-dropping bicycle kick against Liverpool in 2018, which saw Real Madrid clinch a record third-consecutive Champions League title.

The Brazilian teenager has already surpassed two legends of Santos' past, and he is now ready to make a name for himself in Europe

The Santos talent factory is showing no signs of running out of steam. The latest prodigious starlet to step off the conveyor belt? Eighteen-year-old Angelo Gabriel – already an established first-team regular with the Peixe.

A precocious winger, Angelo is well ahead of schedule having risen swiftly through the ranks at Santos – although he hasn't always found the going easy. But with his first-team debut already three years since, he feels ready to follow in the footsteps of the likes of famed Santos products Neymar, Rodrygo and Alex Sandro by crossing the Atlantic to forge a career in Europe.

Though Barcelona had the option to sign him, GOAL has confirmed that a move to Chelsea beckons, with the Blues committing to spend €15 million (£13m/$16m) to secure his services and add him to their burgeoning ranks of talented youngsters, following the captures of Kendry Paez, Andrey Santos and Cesare Casadei in recent times – to name but a few.

As Angelo prepares to move to Stamford Bridge, here is everything you need to know about his career to date…

• Where it all began

  Born in the capital Brasilia in 2004, Angelo grew up in the suburban town of Samambaia, which his father Elismar has previously likened to a 'favela'. His exceptional dribbling ability and speed in possession were noted at an early age, and he was enrolled into the Santos-affiliated Meninos da Vila school in his hometown, before eventually joining the club's academy, despite interest from other leading Brazilian clubs, with his parents able to move with him to the city of Santos 1,112km away.

  “In the first training session, we noticed that he had a lot of skill and above average speed," Angelo's former teacher and first coach, Betinho, told . "The following year, we presented him to Santos for tests in the basic categories, and he passed quickly. He was fast and skilled, an irreverent player with a lot of technical and attacking quality."

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  The big break

  Angelo made swift progress through Santos' youth ranks and was deemed to be ready for first-team action well ahead of schedule – making his bow on Brazilian football's biggest stage. In October 2020, aged just 15 years and 308 days, the attacker was handed his debut away at Fluminense at Rio de Janeiro's iconic Maracana Stadium.

  Coming off the bench for the final 30 minutes, he became the youngest player in the history of the national championship, surpassing the record set by Santos and footballing icon Pele. For context, Neymar hadn't made his Santos debut until after his 17th birthday.

• How it's going

  Angelo would break another record in April 2021, becoming the youngest goalscorer in the history of the Copa Libertadores aged 16 years and 105 days, courtesy of a tap-in against San Lorenzo.

  Now, still only 18 years of age, Angelo has made 129 appearances for Santos and represented Brazil up to Under-20 level, although things haven't necessarily gone to plan. That is reflected in his stats: in those 129 appearances he has made a modest contribution of five goals and 10 assists – although, of course, statistics do not tell the whole story.

  A poor run of form and a lengthy goal drought saw him draw the ire of some sections of Santos' support back in April, and although he has found the net since, Angelo is struggling to hold down a starting place.

  Speaking recently, Santos boss Odair Hellmann said: "He's a promising, talented player, that's undeniable, but he's suffering from this pressure. He is 18 years old… We worship because a 16-year-old boy comes out, we put him on a pedestal, but later on, we start to visualise the difficulties, the situations that we need to evolve. And now is not the time to step on his head. It is time for us to visualise the difficulty he is having."

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  Biggest strengths

  The youngster's success to date has been built upon his dazzling dribbling ability and pace, and it's not difficult to understand why when you see him in action. Angelo has an elastic touch when he is moving at speed, with the ball never quite slipping from his control, and he adds to that all the typical flair you would expect of an exuberant Brazilian attacker.

  He is no shrinking violet, either, with his solid 5'9 frame meaning he is prepared for the physical battle despite his tender years. Indeed, he already has more than 125 appearances under his belt in Brazil, where the defending can be agricultural to say the least.

Mikel Arteta admits to having “no clue” as to who Arsenal’s penalty-taker is after seeing Martin Odegaard step up to the spot against Crystal Palace.

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• Gunners awarded spot-kick at Selhurst Park
• Skipper stepped up to convert
• Players allowed to determine pecking order

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Gunners edged their way to a 1-0 derby win over London rivals Palace at Selhurst Park courtesy of a solitary strike from their club captain. Odegaard held his nerve from 12 yards after seeing Eddie Nketiah tripped inside the box by Sam Johnstone following a quick free-kick from Gabriel Martinelli.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Bukayo Saka has often been the go-to option for Arsenal when it comes to penalty duty, but the England international winger was happy to step aside and let his skipper take over versus Palace. That was not a decision that Arteta was involved in, with players being allowed to determine a pecking order among themselves.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  Arteta told reporters when asked who is first in line for spot-kicks in 2023-24: “I have no clue, it’s about leadership of players, and if they felt it was the right thing to do, for me I’m fine. They have to make those decisions on the pitch. I was surprised like everybody else, but he scored the goal which is the important thing and we won the game.”

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Arsenal have, after falling narrowly short in their Premier League title bid last season, taken six points from their opening two games this term – with a hard-fought victory secured over Palace despite seeing Takehiro Tomiyasu sent off after collecting two contentious yellow cards.

Leeds CEO Angus Kinnear admits that Tyler Adams’ behaviour during the summer transfer window means he is “not on our Christmas card list”.

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• Midfielder missed end of season through injury
• Watched on as Whites were relegated
• Jumped ship in summer window

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The United States international midfielder was among those at Elland Road to push for a move elsewhere after suffering relegation out of the Premier League. Adams missed the end of the 2022-23 campaign through injury, but he was not prepared to hang around and help to put things right.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Adams eventually completed a £23 million ($29m) transfer to Bournemouth, and has since been joined at the Vitality Stadium by Whites colleague Luis Sinisterra after his loan switch to the south coast. Leeds were reluctant to part with either player, but saw their hand forced.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  Kinnear has told when asked if he would have preferred to keep Adams and Sinisterra and why they were moved on: “No, based on their desire to leave. I think you can voice your desire to leave, but you need to be professional in the interim. You need to remember who you’re contracted to and the value of that contract. I think you need to approach that through discussion and mutual agreement, rather than the avenues that they pursued. Ultimately I have to respect their decisions, but I don’t think it’s the way to behave to a club that has really looked after you and continues to look after you and was offering you fantastic alternatives to remain at the club. There were players who were perhaps led by their agents to employ tactics which will mean they’re not on our Christmas card list.”

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Adams, who captained the USMNT at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, took in 26 appearances for Leeds on the back of his £20m ($25m) transfer from RB Leipzig – with no goals recorded prior to picking up an untimely hamstring injury in March.

There are 11 Americans on the books at Champions League clubs… could any of them make a deep run in this tournament?

For years, Americans in the Champions League were few and far between. Those days are long gone, though, as this generation of United States men's national team stars routinely finds itself competing at the highest levels of the European game.

Christian Pulisic made history by winning the whole thing during his time at Chelsea, but now at AC Milan, the USMNT star faces a whole new challenge. He and Yunus Musah seem to be the Americans best positioned for a deep run, but their spot in the Group of Death alongside Gio Reyna's Borussia Dortmund will make that a challenging test.

Those are just three of the USMNT stars of the present and future that will be making a run at the competition. Can any of them have a real go at it? We'll find out over the coming months…

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  AC Milan – Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah

  Pulisic has already gotten his hands on a Champions League trophy, playing a key role in Chelsea's run to the European summit during his time at Stamford Bridge. Can he replicate the feat at Milan? After last season, you'd have to say that anything is possible.

  Milan made it all the way to the semi-finals in 2022-23 before painfully losing to rivals Inter. Their eternal foes emphatically got the best of them over the weekend, too, leaving the red side of Milan in a sour mood as they enter a group of death that includes Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle and Borussia Dortmund.

  Looking at this group, Pulisic , of course, will be looking forward to that clash with former club Dortmund, but the campaign will begin with a match against Newcastle in Italy. He won't be alone, though, as far as Americans go. Musah will be joining him for his first European campaign, having never reached continental competition at Valencia. The midfielder, though, is still working to break through at Milan, having only joined this summer.

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  Barcelona – Diego Kochen

  A huge, huge accomplishment for teenage starlet Diego Kochen, who was named to Barcelona's Champions League squad for the group stages.

  Born in Miami, Kochen has progressed through the academy at La Masia, signing his first professional contract in March 2022. He's made the bench several times for Barca since, and Xavi went as far as to include the 17-year-old goalkeeper in the club's squad for Europe.

  Barcelona are facing a fairly manageable group featuring Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk and Royal Antwerp. If they cruise as expected, could Kochen be handed an appearance in a dead-rubber late game? It's something to watch for fans of American soccer.

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  Borussia Dortmund – Gio Reyna

  Injuries have kept Gio Reyna out for the start of the season, but he was on the plane to Paris for Dortmund's opening match against PSG. Reyna hasn't played a competitive game since the Nations League finals in June, but seems on his way to recovery. That's great news for Dortmund, who really benefitted from Reyna's goal contributions as a substitute last season.

  What will Reyna's role be when healthy? It's one of the big questions in American soccer as the USMNT looks for him to make a major leap on the road to the 2026 World Cup. Maybe that jump will come via a Champions League breakout, as Reyna will look to lead Dortmund out of the Group of Death.

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  Celtic – Cameron Carter-Vickers

  He'll miss the start of the group stage, at least, due to injury, so let's see where Celtic stand by the time Cameron Carter-Vickers gets back. The defender is vital for the Scottish giants, and could very well be vital for the USMNT this cycle. However, a hamstring injury will keep him out for at least another month or so.

  Looking at the group, Celtic will feel they have a chance, with Atletico Madrid the clear front-runner alongside Feyenoord and Lazio. This week's clash with Feyenoord could very well be a decider for the Scottish side as they look for a run to the knockouts.

Mauricio Pochettino may be tempted to start playing himself up front for Chelsea after showing his misfiring strikers how to finish in training.

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• Blues short on firepower
• Spark needed from somewhere
• Coach showing how it's done

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Argentine coach has endured a tough start to his reign at Stamford Bridge, with consistency still proving elusive in west London. Chelsea are without European football in 2023-24 on the back of their struggles last season, and things have not got much better under a new coaching team.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  A lack of firepower is considered to be holding the Blues back, with France international forward Christopher Nkunku injured shortly after completing a £52 million ($63m) transfer from RB Leipzig. Nicolas Jackson has just three goals to his name, while Raheem Sterling – who has also found the target on three occasions – is the only other player with more than one effort recorded across all competitions.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Pochettino is crying out for a reliable source of end product in the final third, and has shown during a training ground shooting drill that he knows the way to the back of the net despite having been an uncompromising defender in his playing days.

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• WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Chelsea, who have picked up 11 points through eight Premier League games this season to sit 11th in the table, will be back in action on October 21 when taking in a derby date with high-flying London neighbours Arsenal.

The diminutive Belgian made it two goals in as many games as he inspired the Gunners to a gritty 3-1 victory over their stubborn visitors

Leandro Trossard was the protagonist as Arsenal moved second in the Premier League courtesy of a gutsy 3-1 win over Burnley on Saturday, repaying Mikel Arteta's faith with a goal and assist after replacing Eddie Nketiah in his manager's Premier League XI.

Bukayo Saka went closest in a dominant first period when his strike was tipped onto the woodwork, but the hosts would have to wait until first-half stoppage time to make the breakthrough, as Trossard put his body on the line to bundle the ball home at the back post.

Burnley had threatened on occasion, and Arsenal were stunned early in the second period when Josh Brownhill's strike deflected in. However, it took Arteta's side just three minutes to restore the lead when William Saliba rose highest to meet a Trossard corner. Oleksandr Zinchenko then wrapped up the points with 15 minutes to go as he improvised with an exquisite finish on the bounce after the ball had come off the Burnley bar.

The shine was somewhat taken off the victory late on as substitute Fabio Vieira was shown a straight red card for an ugly, high foul on goal-scorer Brownwood.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Emirates Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  David Raya (7/10):

  Made two very important stops in the first half which were ultimately key to the victory. He had no chance with the goal.

  Takehiro Tomiyasu (6/10):

  Provided support in attack at every opportunity but was too easily shrugged off in the build-up to Burnley's goal.

  William Saliba (8/10):

  Made a sublime recovery challenge right at the start of the second period and rose majestically to restore the lead.

  Gabriel Magalhaes (6/10):

  Not unduly tested but his half-clearance led to the Burnley leveller. Caused a problem from set-pieces.

  Oleksandr Zinchenko (8/10):

  Operated as an auxiliary centre-midfielder for the most part. Wonderful, technical finish to wrap up the points.

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  Midfield

  Jorginho (6/10):

  Metronomic without setting the world alight, but that is generally his modus operandi. Took a heavy blow late on.

  Declan Rice (7/10):

  The bloke is ubiquitous. Generally a quiet shift defensively, but he still seemed to be mopping up at every single opportunity.

  Kai Havertz (5/10):

  Often found himself swarmed by defenders and headed a good chance over from close range. Didn't do anything wrong, per se, but very much no frills.

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  Attack

  Bukayo Saka (7/10):

  Tormented his full-back at every opportunity and was rewarded with yet another assist, this time nodding the ball across goal for the opener.

  Leandro Trossard (8/10):

  Forced to come searching for the ball initially but popped to make a telling contribution, putting his body on the line as he bundled the ball in. His corner was nodded in by Saliba, too.

  Gabriel Martinelli (6/10):

  Electric as always but for someone so talented he should perhaps be providing end product on an even more regular basis.

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  Subs & Manager

  Fabio Vieira (1/10):

  Not the desired effect! Shown a straight red card for an ugly, high foul on Brownhill.

  Reiss Nelson (N/A):

  Didn't see much of the ball as the red card two minutes after his introduction changed Arteta's gameplan.

  Eddie Nketiah (N/A):

  Ditto Nelson. Isolated up front as the 10 men were forced to see out the game.

  Jakob Kiwior (N/A):

  Brought on late to shore things up.

  Mikel Arteta (8/10):

  The decision to start Trossard was richly rewarded, as his side reflected their manager's passion and bite with a gutsy display to recover from being hauled level and take all three points.

Reece James set an ambitious target of 40 goals this season for sister and Chelsea forward Lauren, as he jokes she should score "a hat-trick a game."

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• Chelsea forward in sensational form this term
• Brother Reece pushes her for more glory
• Wants Lauren to hit at least 40 goals this season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  James was recognised as theBarclays Women's Super League (WSL) Player of the Monthfor January for her impressive performance in two crucial WSL fixtures against Manchester United and Brighton. She scored a hat-trick against the Red Devils and followed it up with a brace in the Blues' 3-0 victory over the Sea Gulls. However, her brother Reece, believes that she is capable of attaining more glory and set her an ambitious target of scoring 40 goals this season.

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• WHAT REECE JAMES SAID

  The interviewer asked Reece, how many goals could Lauren score this season. The defender replied: "40 goals, maybe? Anything less than 40 is disappointing."

  "So not high standards or anything for her?"

  "No. She should score a hat-trick a game."

  When the interviewer asked if Reece would give her a brief after each match, he responded: "No, I don't need to say anything, she knows."

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  When Lauren was asked about the target that she had set for herself, the forward said, "I'm hoping to get 20."

  When she was informed that her brother wanted her to get past the 40-mark she was shocked!

  "40?!" Yeah, that is very high (standards)," Lauren responded.

USWNT captain Lindsey Horan issued a heartfelt and thoughtful apology Thursday evening, after labeling U.S. fans as 'not smart' on Feb. 1.

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• USWNT captain Horan apologizes
• Midfielder backtracks on previous statements
• Initially called U.S. Soccer fans 'not smart'

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After a previous report from The Athletic, where Horan's comments offended the fanbase of U.S. Soccer the USWNT has apologized for claiming that “American soccer fans, most of them aren’t smart… They don’t know the game. They don’t understand. (But) it’s getting better and better.”

  In media availability Thursday ahead of the Concacaf Gold Cup next week, the USWNT captain backtracked on her words, with a heartfelt and thoughtful apology.

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  WHAT HORAN SAID

  “First and foremost I would like to apologize to our fans. Some of my comments were poorly expressed and there was a massive lesson learned for me.”

  “When I think about our fans, I love them so much, this team loves them so much. I can’t begin to explain how much they mean to us. Every time we step out and train, every time we step out and play in games, we play for you guys. You are our inspiration.”

  “You are our motivation. Seeing you wearing our jerseys, seeing you scream our names, seeing you chanting U-S-A – that’s what we play for and I never wanted to take any of that away.”

  “Continuing on that, the soccer culture in America is changing and growing so much in such a positive way and for me to be able to experience that first hand playing for this USWNT but also in the NWSL for the Portland Thorns is just something so amazing.”

  “It is my absolute honor – and I will always say that – to be able to put on this crest every single day, to be in this environment, and to go out and play in front of our fans and represent this national team. That is something – again – it is my greatest honor.”

  “The last thing I ever wanted to do was to offend anyone in that manner, so again, I deeply, deeply apologize.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Horan's comments did truly upset the U.S. Soccer community on social media, with many comparing her statement to that of her not being a leader. However, her apology on Thursday is a reminder of why she wears the captain's armband for the USWNT. The Lyon midfielder has been a standout for the USA for over a decade, and has been a crucial part of the midfield ever since arriving on the international scene. The hope, now, is that her apology is accepted by the masses and that her performances on the pitch will make up for her poorly-worded comments the first time around.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LINDSEY HORAN AND THE USWNT?

  The USWNT compete in the Gold Cup next week as they look to win their Group Stage in the tournament. They take on Argentina and Mexico on Friday, February 23rd and Monday, February 26.

Barcelona's financial situation remains precarious, with the club forced to continue paying former stars Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.

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• Barca in a financial mess
• Messi, Alba and Busquets have since left club
• But wages to Inter Miami trio continue

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Messi left Catalonia way back in the summer of 2021, embarking on a brief stint at Paris Saint-Germain before eventually finding himself stateside two years later. Former team-mates Alba and Busquets joined him that same summer, putting an end to their illustrious careers at Camp Nou. However, have now revealed that all three are still receiving payments from Barcelona in a shocking new update on the club's financial mess.

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  THE EXPLANATION

  The reason for these continued payments owes to Barca's delayed salary payment structure, made in attempts to ease their financial burdens following the COVID-19 pandemic. The Catalan club put off paying the likes of Messi, Alba and Busquets during those difficult seasons, meaning they all remain on the club's salary bill as they wait to be reimbursed. Midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who is still at the club, is another player affected.

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Outstanding payments to De Jong and the Inter Miami trio leave Barca's finances in tatters. The club's salary limit, according to the report, stands at €204 million (£175m/$189m), with recent information from UEFA suggesting Barca continue to exceed it by €300m (£257m/$324m). Their wage bill of €505m (£433m/$546m) is the second-highest throughout Europe, behind only PSG.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  The Catalan club are currently awaiting payment from German fund Libero Football Finance for the 49 percent purchase of Barca Studios. Even with that investment, and provided this year's budget is not exceeded, Barcelona can still only sign players on a one-in-one-out basis, writes .