An exasperated four-time Premier League-winning Pep Guardiola stormed off during his interview with Sky Sports despite Manchester City’s dramatic 4-2 turnaround victory over Tottenham.<\/p>\n
The Catalan maestro has slammed Manchester City\u2019s critics by claiming it’s “bulls***” to suggest they haven’t been successful just because they have not won the Champions League so far during Guardiola\u2019s tenure.<\/p>\n
52-year-old Guardiola was forced to endure a helter-skelter evening on Thursday as City had to fight their way back from two goals down at half-time to pick up a dramatic 4-2 win against Tottenham. Surprisingly they were heckled with boos at the interval by their own frustrated supporters, something highly unusual at the Etihad Stadium, despite second-half goals from Julian Alvarez, Erling Haaland\u00a0and a brace from star man Riyad Mahrez\u00a0ensuring that the Citizens managed to narrow the gap separating them and Premier League leaders Arsenal\u00a0\u00a0to five points.<\/p>\n
Despite criticising his players\u2019 \u2018flowery\u2019 performances of late\u00a0during a heated post-match interview with Sky Sports, which he walked out of in frustration, Guardiola then launched into a vociferous defense of City’s recent achievements amid suggestions even \u2013 from himself \u2013 that the reigning English champions are not the same team they once were.<\/p>\n
“People say we haven’t had success because we haven’t won the Champions League – bulls***! We won a lot,” the Citizens boss declared in his press conference.<\/p>\n
“Two back-to-back [Premier Leagues] in this country, and the way we played, the consistency, against this Liverpool. What a success.”<\/p>\n
Guardiola’s rare outburst continued after having been asked the reason for his candor and impassioned claims.<\/p>\n
“I want a reaction \u2013 not just from players, staff, the whole organisation,” the Spaniard master tactician explained.<\/p>\n
“We are a happy flowers team, I don’t want this. I want to beat Arsenal. I cannot deny how happy we are [to win].<\/p>\n
“But we are far away from the team that we were. There are many things that we are far away, far away. We play because ‘my manager told me to do this and this’ \u2013 but there is nothing from the stomach, the guts. We were lucky, and if we don’t change, sooner or later we are going to drop points. No passion, fire, desire to win from minute one.”<\/p>\n
Suffice it to say that Guardiola\u2019s underperforming players weren\u2019t the only ones who took the brunt of his displeasure, as he also launched a few missiles at his side’s supporters.<\/p>\n
“It’s the same from our fans,” the former Barcelona\u00a0manager added. “They were silent for 45 minutes. They booed because we were losing, but not because we played bad. We played good. They booed because we were losing, but maybe it’s like our team.<\/p>\n
“Maybe they’re too comfortable because we have won four Premier Leagues in five years. After we scored a goal they react, but that is not the point. We afar, far away from being able to compete at the highest level. Do you think we are going to close the gap to Arsenal the way we are playing? No way.<\/p>\n
“Today we were lucky. If we want to win something or compete \u2013 but complaining, complaining, complaining [the players] \u2013 no chance we will win anything.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"