Eight years ago Pep Guardiola and Thomas Tuchel sat down in an iconic Munich bar to share ideas about football. At the time Guardiola was the world's master coach and Tuchel an apprentice about to embark on his first really big job.
Ever since there has been a significant degree of respect between the pair, despite the flood of water that has passed under the bridge, and the latest chapter will be written in Manchester and Munich over the next week and a bit.
On Monday lunchtime Guardiola suggested Tuchel could be the best coach in the world. A few hours later Tuchel sat inside the Etihad, having just had a look at the pitch and the stands ahead of Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg, and reflected on that first meeting between the pair in 2015.
