Ahead of Manchester City's match against Aston Villa, Guardiola praised Gvardiol's skills, particularly his ability to quickly move into the backfield with the ball. He noted that Gvardiol's partnership with Ruben Dias has been successful, and that it is an option for the team.

Guardiola also emphasized that Manchester City already has a strong squad, with many experienced central defenders. He highlighted the importance of having players who can adapt to different positions, such as Gvardiol, who can play both centre-half and left-back.