PEP GUARDIOLA ISSUES FORMAL APOLOGY TO REFEREE FARAI HALLAM BEFORE GALATASARAY CLASH
Pep Guardiola apologises to debutant ref Farai Hallam but insists Howard Webb must explain the "handball" no-call vs Wolves.
Pep Guardiola has apologised for his comments about referee Farai Hallam after Manchester City’s win over Wolves, but he’s not backing down from defending his club.
Guardiola was fired up after the match, especially about a penalty that never came. City beat Wolves 2-0 at the Etihad, closing the gap on Arsenal, but Guardiola was still fuming about Hallam’s call. Hallam, officiating his first-ever Premier League match, chose not to give City a penalty for what looked like a handball by Yerson Mosquera. Even after VAR sent him over to the monitor, Hallam stuck with his original decision. That set Guardiola off.
Tony Cascarino even called out Guardiola for his behaviour after full-time, saying, “Don’t abuse your power!” The penalty no-call became the big talking point, especially in Guardiola’s press conference. He said he’d be waiting for a call from Howard Webb, the head of referees, for some answers.
Now, ahead of City’s Champions League clash with Galatasaray, Guardiola has offered an apology to Hallam. He told reporters, “They defend each other, and that’s normal. But I have to defend my club. Last season was the worst in ten years, and how many times did I criticise referees? If Hallam’s offended, I’m sorry. It’s not easy on your debut. Everyone’s sensitive these days; I get that.”
Still, Guardiola kept pushing for accountability from Webb. “In ten years, I’ve never criticised referees. This season, I’m just giving the reasons why. I have to stand up for my club and my players. Howard Webb stands up for the referees, as he should. But look at what happens in the box during corners and free kicks—every action is a foul now. It’s tough, but I have to look out for my team.”
Hallam, meanwhile, goes back to officiating in the EFL this weekend, following protocol for refs making the jump to the Premier League. Instead of another top-flight game, he’ll be in charge of Stoke vs. Southampton in the Championship.
Back to Guardiola—after Saturday’s game, he didn’t hold back. “The referee had a big debut—now everyone knows him,” he said. “It’s the first time they go to the TV screen and overturn what’s a normal position of the arms. I’m sure Howard Webb will be on TV tomorrow explaining why it’s not a penalty, just like after the United game when there was some doubt. That’s why Jeremy Doku couldn’t play in Norway after what happened with Diogo Dalot. But fine, I’ll wait for the explanation. Don’t wait for Wednesday—Champions League is coming up, and we’re busy. Howard Webb, just explain it tomorrow.”
Speaking of Dalot, he escaped a red card for a reckless challenge on Doku during the Manchester derby earlier this month. Webb later went on ‘Match Officials Mic’d Up’ and broke down the decision, saying it was just glancing contact and that Dalot tried to play the ball. VAR agreed and let referee Anthony Taylor’s call stand.
THE REAL: REASON JEREMY DOKU BELIEVES THE NEXT FOUR GAMES WILL DEFINE CITY’S SEASON
Jeremy Doku praises City's pride after Bernardo Silva's red card, eyeing redemption in Sunday's Carabao Cup final.
Jérémy Doku sees winning the Carabao Cup as a helpful way for Manchester City to bounce back from their Champions League disappointment. After being knocked out by Real Madrid for the third consecutive year, with a 5-1 aggregate loss in the round of 16, the team faces a tough challenge to regroup quickly.
Pep Guardiola's squad now has to shift focus to their upcoming trip to Wembley, where they’ll take on Arsenal on Sunday. Despite the setback in Europe, Doku feels that lifting a trophy this week would help erase the recent frustration.
He said, “It’s a good way to recover. We’ll do everything we can to win that game and bring home a trophy. The next four matches really matter. We have to recover well for Sunday and then take it one game at a time.”
What lies ahead will likely define the city's season. After the Carabao Cup final, they face an FA Cup quarterfinal against Liverpool following the international break, as well as two critical Premier League games against Chelsea and Arsenal.
“There’s still plenty at stake,” Doku added. “We’re competing in three different competitions, with three trophies still on the table. If we manage to win one, it’ll still be a strong season for us. Of course, missing out on the Champions League is disappointing. It’s always a special trophy. But we have to learn from those games against Real Madrid, recover properly, and focus on what’s next.”
City endured a tough week, following a 3-0 loss in Madrid with a narrow 2-1 defeat at the Etihad. One pivotal moment was Bernardo Silva’s early red card in the second leg.
Yet, Doku draws some confidence from how the team performed despite being down to 10 men against such a formidable opponent.
“We have reasons to be proud,” he reflected. “Playing against a team like Real Madrid with one less player and still causing them problems isn’t something every team can do. We didn’t get the win, but we can look each other in the eye knowing we gave a good performance both with 11 players and with 10. We created chances and played well.”
He went on to say, “If we bring that kind of effort to every match, we’ll trouble many teams. There are valuable takeaways from this game that we can carry into the next.”
WHY PEP GUARDIOLA CANCELLED TRAINING BEFORE MANCHESTER CITY’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE REMATCH
Pep Guardiola cancels Manchester City training to combat fatigue ahead of the 3-0 comeback attempt vs Real Madrid.
Pep Guardiola has shared his reasoning for skipping training the day before Manchester City’s crucial Champions League last-16 second leg against Real Madrid at the Etihad. Facing a tough three-goal deficit from their 3-0 loss at the Bernabeu last week, City are up against the difficult task of overturning this against a team that has won Europe’s top trophy 15 times.
Historically, only four teams have managed to claw back a gap of three or more goals in the knockout stages, so the challenge ahead is immense. Guardiola acknowledges his players will need to deliver an almost flawless performance if they hope to stage a remarkable comeback on home turf. Still, he remains hopeful they will create plenty of scoring chances against Alvaro Arbeloa’s side.
In a somewhat unexpected move, Guardiola has decided to give his first team a day off on Monday, opting for a light session just hours before kickoff on Tuesday. At Monday’s press conference, he explained the logic behind this approach, citing the fatigue from travel and recent matches. After returning late from Madrid, then heading to London for a Premier League draw against West Ham, the players have had a packed schedule. Guardiola feels a day of rest will serve them better than trying to squeeze in more training.
He further emphasised the mental aspect, pointing out that mental strength plays a big role in how well they perform. He plans to assess the players’ condition and conduct training on Tuesday afternoon. With travel taking its toll and players spontaneously connecting with their families, he believes keeping them relaxed and fresh is crucial.
Captain Bernardo Silva, who was the only City player present for media duties, supported Guardiola’s decision. He reflected on past occasions when the team took rest days following both wins and losses, trusting the manager’s judgement to help them regroup and come back stronger.
On team news, Guardiola revealed he has most of his starting lineup settled, though one spot remains uncertain. Josko Gvardiol (tibial fracture) and Rico Lewis (ankle) are sidelined, but Mateo Kovacic has returned to the bench after recovering from a lengthy ankle and heel injury. With these preparations in place, City will be charging into a daunting but pivotal night against one of Europe’s giants.
