Chelsea fullback Cucurella: I benefited from Pep influence at Barcelona

Chelsea fullback Marc Cucurella is ready for Pep Guardiola's Manchester City today.

Like Pep, Cucurella came through the La Masia system at Barcelona.

"He changed the mentality at Barcelona," Cucurella told Sky Sports. "Before Guardiola, Barcelona were a good team and when he came, they changed the philosophy, they played amazing football - I think one of the best teams in the history of football. They played at another level.

"The philosophy in the Barcelona academy changed because all the teams, they play the same style, the same formation with the same mentality and I think this is very good. We can see they do the same here at Manchester City.

"The team plays really well and they have good things to show, every year they change some things to try to improve on this. I don't have a relationship with him, I've seen him at some events and I can speak a little bit with him. He's a very good person.

"Not for me personally but in my academy stage, they showed me a lot because they changed their mentality and a lot of things I can learn are from his ideas that he brought to Barcelona."