Mikel Arteta left Manchester City to take charge of Arsenal last December and Pep Guardiola has brought in a new assistant coach to replace the Spaniard. The Man City boss will now be supported by 54-year-old Spanish coach Juan Manuel Lillo when the Citizens take on Arsenal next week in the Premier League.
“I am delighted to have joined Manchester City’s coaching staff,” said Lillo, as quoted by Sky Sports.
“My relationship with Pep goes back many years and I am thrilled to be joining him as part of this exciting team
“Manchester City have enjoyed much success over recent seasons and played a brand of beautiful football we have come to expect from this club and its manager.
“It’s a pleasure to become a part of this group and I hope to make an important contribution to the club’s success going forwards.”
City director of football Txiki Begiristain added: “His vast experience working across three continents and with some of the most famous names in world football will be an invaluable asset to Pep and his team.
“We look forward to him playing a vital role as we return to football.”
Who is Juan Manuel Lillo?
Juan Manuel Lillo is 54 years old and was born in Tolosa, Spain. Unlike most other coaches who were players at one point, Lillo began coaching local Tolosan side Amaroz KE at just 16.
Lillo is a hugely respected coach in the European football circuit and back in 1995, he became the youngest La Liga coach at the age of 29 when he took charge of UD Salamanca. That affair did not last too long though.
Over the years, he’s worked with a number of big sides include the Chilean national team and Sevilla FC. His last managerial job was with Chinese side QD Huanghai where he was in charge for eight matches.
He’s also worked with legends like Andres Iniesta and David Villa at Vissel Kobe in Japan.
