Music a soothing Oasis for Guardiola

LONDON - The ballad Don't Look Back In Anger by Manchester band Oasis has become the city's unofficial anthem since last year's terror attack, and is one that has had a powerful impact on Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

The 47-year-old Spaniard's wife and daughters escaped unharmed from the bombing at an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena in May last year, which left 22 dead.

Guardiola said in a wide-ranging weekend interview that he and his family sing it in unison when they go out together.

"I like that, after what happened in Manchester at the arena, now it is a song for the people, you know? " Guardiola told the BBC website.

"Like in the video when everyone is in silence and one woman starts to sing the song and everybody sings, that is a moment, it was so touching for my family and for myself. to see that."

Guardiola said the song "puts me in the best of myself when I listen to it - it's really a masterpiece".

On the night of the attack, Guardiola and his son did not attend the concert, but endured some nervous moments when they could not contact the rest of the family.

"At the end we were lucky," he said. "Many people suffered, but we were lucky. Life is like this. We were in a better position than many unfortunate ones."

'It's about humanity'

Guardiola listed five other songs that resonate with him - two from his beloved Catalonia, including the 1970 song Fiesta by Joan Manuel Serrat.

"I was not a guy who went to a lot of parties. At 13 years old I was going to Barcelona's academy," he said.

"In the summer, when school was finished, everyone would go to the Sant Joan party and it's a song that reminds me a lot of my little town of Santpedor when I was young."

Guardiola also named Elton John's Your Song and Frank Sinatra's Ole Blue Eyes and New York, New York - the city where the Spaniard spent time during the sabbatical that followed his hugely successful spell in charge of Barcelona.

"Sinatra was a fighter; he had work ethic, not just the talent," he said.

Guardiola also revealed he had to fight when he was in New York to learn German ahead of becoming head coach of Bayern Munich.

"It is so complicated to learn," said Guardiola. "Three or four hours a day with the grammar. After two months I thought: I'm going to call and break the contract.

"It is so complicated, even for German kids to learn. Can you imagine for a 41-year-old man? But I am stubborn."

Agence France-Presse