We are used to seeing Pep Guardiola master every aspect of his job, from tactics to the smallest detail of his communication. But the defeat against Newcastle this weekend cracked the veneer. As Manchester City prepares to host Bayer Leverkusen for a decisive match in the Champions League, the sporting issue has almost been eclipsed by the look back at recent events. The Catalan technician did not hide behind his little finger. He wanted to directly address his altercation with a cameraman on the pitch, a gesture of humor which made the rounds on social networks and tarnished the image of the club.
“I feel ashamed when I see that again”
The self-criticism was scathing. Guardiola apologized to the man of images, freely admitting his discomfort. “I feel embarrassed and ashamed”he blurted out, visibly marked. But it was the rest of his statement that surprised the audience with its disarming frankness.. “I am who I am. Even with 1000 matches under my belt, I’m not a perfect person and I make mistakes. » A rare admission of vulnerability for someone who has embodied excellence and absolute demands for more than a decade.
This human outing reminds us that the pressure weighs even on the shoulders of the greatest. Guardiola explains his gesture by his fierce desire to “defend your team and your club”but he recognizes that the yellow line has been crossed. This episode closed, we must now refocus on the field. The coach recalled that the past “no longer counts” and that the objective is to secure qualification in the European top 8. It will be necessary to do without Rodri and Mateo Kovacic, both of whom have withdrawn, for what will be a new milestone in his career, he who realizes that he “getting old” as he approaches a new symbolic milestone in C1.
Donnarumma under surveillance
The other concern at the moment concerns discipline, particularly that of Gianluigi Donnarumma. The Italian goalkeeper has been accumulating yellow cards this season, getting dangerously close to a suspension. On this, Guardiola appears fatalistic but firm: the goalkeeper must defend his position, and if he is suspended, James Trafford will take over. No drama, just management.
City must absolutely turn the page on Newcastle. With 10 points in 4 games, the European situation is comfortable, but Guardiola wants to maintain his incredible unbeaten streak at home. This public confession was perhaps intended to relieve tensions and bring the group back to face its responsibilities. Expected response to the Germans.
