Pep Guardiola says he is sorry for his confrontation with a cameraman following Manchester City’s Premier League defeat at Newcastle on Saturday.
City felt they were on the wrong end of a penalty call, a handball shout and a tight offside decision in the 2-1 loss at St James’ Park, which left Guardiola furious at full-time.
The Spaniard marched onto the pitch at the end, speaking with referee Sam Barrott, while he also pulled the headphones off of a cameraman to say something into his ear.
“I apologised,” Guardiola said of the incident, but did not reveal what was said. “I feel embarrassed, ashamed when I see it. I don’t like it. I apologised after one second to the cameraman. I am who I am.
“After 1,000 games, I’m not a perfect person; I make huge mistakes. The reason is I want to defend my team and my club.”
There were flare-ups involving the players, too, with City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma being ushered down the tunnel and Magpies midfielder Joelinton being held back by his manager, Eddie Howe, while Guardiola also had words to say to Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes.
Guardiola added: “We have known Bruno for many, many years, and every time after the game, even at the Etihad, we talk in the tunnel or wherever we talk, always. I don’t know what happened.
“Our paths always cross, and I always have a good relationship with him. I love it. I’m an emotional guy, I love to talk and move my hands and my arms and everything.”
Champions League ‘massively important’
City host Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday, aiming to maintain their unbeaten start. They are fourth in the group phase table and victory against the Bundesliga side will consolidate their place in the top eight as they seek a direct path into the knockout stages.
The contest will be Guardiola’s 100th as City manager in the competition, with the crowning moment coming in 2023 when they lifted the trophy after beating Inter Milan in the final in Istanbul.
But they have also had near misses, losing the 2021 final to Chelsea and being beaten by Real Madrid in the semi-finals the following year when the La Liga giants scored three late goals in the second leg.
“I realise I’m getting old. Every weekend is a milestone,” said Guardiola while referencing the fact that Manchester City are the only English team to qualify for the past 14 Champions League competitions.
“Every season we have been there and hopefully next season we will be there too,” he added.
“It’s special for the players, managers and everyone. To challenge yourself with the best teams in Europe is incredible, a huge experience. For the club, in terms of repetition, prestige, financial issues, it’s massively important.
“There are more disappointments than good moments. There have been good moments, especially in group stages, we have been top every season, except last season with the new format.
“But of course it has been a top experience – good moments, bad moments define a team, a club. And sport is tough so not everything is flowers (on the) road or easy and comfortable.”
Last season was the first time in eight years in which City failed to win a major trophy, being knocked out at the play-off stage in the Champions League, finishing third in the Premier League and losing to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final.
“It was the worst season I ever had in my career,” said defender Josko Gvardiol. “It was painful. I couldn’t sleep in the nights because I was trying to find solutions and I was trying help the team and everyone in the club to get out of this position.
“Sometimes it is difficult, sometimes things are not going the way we wanted but I am glad it is behind us and that we recover well.”
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