LEE JOHNSON is living the Premier League dream — after getting a private Pep talk from Guardiola.
Johnson, 36, hopes to become the top flight’s youngest manager by leading Bristol City to promotion from the Championship.
But first he must plot the downfall of Pep Guardiola’s mighty Manchester City tonight to land his Robins a Carabao Cup final trip to Wembley.
And Johnson will never forget talking coaching tactics with the ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich super-boss.
Pep was seen on TV giving his young rival words of encouragement after Sergio Aguero’s injury-time winner had given the Premier League leaders a 2-1 win in the semi-final first leg.
Johnson revealed: “I also had a good 20 minutes or more with him after the game and enjoyed his company immensely.
“He’s very enthusiastic, very bright and really took a keen interest in us, the club and the staff, which was nice.
“He was very knowledgeable on Bristol City, had done his research on us, as you would expect, on the way we play and the way we use certain things to our advantage.
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“It was dreamland for me to be able to share 20 minutes with Guardiola in the semi-final of the League Cup.
“As it was effectively half-time in the tie, we couldn’t give away any secrets. But the chat was huge for me personally and will help us going forward.
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“We scored a good goal against them and nearly scored another from a set-piece free-kick routine against their high line.
“And that was one of the funny things me and Pep shared because I told him had we scored from that, I would have retired there and then!
“We were having a good laugh about it and I told him, ‘Watch out next time — we will have a new one for you’.”
Pep racked up three La Liga titles and tasted Champions League glory twice at Barcelona. The Spaniard also led Bayern to three Bundesliga crowns.
And Johnson said: “Any ideas shared with a man like that, as well as sharing tactical battles against him, you can’t help but learn from it.
“Whether we had won, lost or drawn on the night, it was a great experience for me and my players.”
The Robins have beaten FOUR Premier League sides to reach the last four — Watford, Stoke, Crystal Palace and Manchester United.
But it is their ties with the two Manchester clubs which have really whetted Johnson’s appetite to reach the top.
He added: “These games have got my adrenaline going even more to manage in the Premier League.
“For me, dealing with the pressures of the big-game atmosphere, the media, the ticketing issues has just strengthened my burning desire to get there.
“It does feel like we are a Premier League club in training, it really does.
“I never had the opportunity to play in the Premier League and I think I’m a better manager than I was a footballer.
“It’s a burning ambition of mine to get there and this club is set up for it.
“I will do everything I can to try to fast-track the Bristol City project — and the players are doing that too.
“That’s why I enjoy coming to work every day because I’m learning and I’m learning with good people.”
Johnson admits he is “flogging” his players to keep their promotion bid on track, with the Robins fifth in the Championship.
But he believes City are also suffering from competing on so many fronts.
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He added: “Guardiola is going to have to make changes as he has Champions League games all over the place. That might just present us with an opportunity in the second leg.
“And City’s Liverpool defeat may have put a spanner in their works — they are no longer riding the wave of fear from their opposition.
“We played a big part in showing the world that we can have a go at them — and we will again second time round.”
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