Sergio Aguero has spoken candidly about the challenges he faced when Pep Guardiola arrived at Manchester City in the summer of 2016, admitting that the transition was far from smooth — but insisting it ultimately shaped one of the most decorated chapters of his career.

A demanding new style

By the time Guardiola touched down in Manchester, Aguero was already a five-year veteran at the club and a two-time Premier League winner, having played key roles in City's title triumphs of 2012 and 2014 under Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini respectively.

But Guardiola's approach was something else entirely. The former Barcelona head coach brought his signature high-pressing philosophy to the Etihad, and Aguero found himself having to rethink everything he thought he knew about playing as a centre-forward.

"Pep Guardiola arrived as manager in 2016, and at first that was a little complicated for me," Aguero told FourFourTwo. "I wasn't used to having to maintain the press he was looking for from a striker. But actually, it worked out very well."

Mutual adaptation and silverware

City finished third in the Premier League at the end of Guardiola's debut season, but the pair — and the squad around them — found their rhythm quickly. The title arrived the following campaign, and the goals continued to flow from Aguero's boots.

"Over time, we adapted and ended up helping each other," Aguero said. "He demanded so much of me that, well, I scored a lot of goals with him, and won titles."

Across five seasons working alongside Guardiola, Aguero collected three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, and four League Cups, scoring 124 goals during that spell before leaving City in 2021.

Guardiola: the best he ever worked with

Despite the rocky start, Aguero's verdict on Guardiola is unambiguous. The Argentine striker looks back on their time together with genuine warmth and gratitude.

"The truth is, we ended up having a very nice history at the club together, so I only have words to thank him for everything he did to help me continue scoring goals and making history," Aguero said. "For me, Pep is the best coach I ever had — he's the best coach in the world."