Robin van Persie will put his Manchester United loyalties to one side on Saturday night – because he wants Pep Guardiola to win the Champions League.
Van Persie, the Dutch striker who was Sir Alex Ferguson’s key signing when United took the Premier League title back off rivals City in 2013, believes Guardiola is playing the most entertaining brand of football in the world.
He feels the Catalan deserves to win his first European crown for a decade – and admits that the style employed by Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel leaves him cold in comparison.
Van Persie said: “While my football heart glows when I see Pep’s teams play, I don’t have any warmth when I see Chelsea under Thomas Tuchel.