Asked about Lopetegui’s dismissal after Manchester City beat Tottenham at Wembley, Guardiola said: “I would like to call him in the next days. I’m so disappointed, but I know what football is.
“I’m sorry for Julen because he’s a friend of mine, he’s an exceptional person. We played together at Barcelona, and have an amazing relationship.
“But, it is what it is football. Nobody can escape that. When you have bad results you will not continue in places like Barcelona, Madrid. You win matches in a row, or you won’t have the chance to continue.
“In football and life you will have another chance. And Julen will find another chance, another place and he will show again his value, like he did in Porto and the Spanish national team.
Sky in Italy says Santiago Solari is Real’s preferred choice to replace Lopetegui on a permanent basis
“I wish him all the best of course.”
Guardiola, who led Barcelona to a famous treble as coach in 2009, was also full of praise for his former club after Sunday’s win took them top of La Liga.
He added: “I will not deny I am so happy for the victory for Barcelona that still remain the strongest team in Europe, for the quality of the players they have, for the manager, for the club itself, for many, many things.”
