“I do it for the cameras, it’s for my ego,” Pep Guardiola, Manchester City coach, responded ironically on Tuesday when asked about the heated exchange he had with his player Jack Grealish after the draw (0-0) against Arsenal.
The Spaniard, visibly unhappy, addressed the English winger after the final whistle for around twenty seconds on Sunday on the pitch at the Etihad Stadium, accompanying his words with large, lively gestures, before give a friendly pat on the head to conclude.
The scene captured by broadcaster Sky Sports was widely commented on post-match, with some observers believing that the coach should have made this apparent reframing in the privacy of the locker room, rather than in public.
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Questioned at a press conference on Tuesday on the eve of facing Aston Villa, Guardiola used irony with a closed face: “I do it for the cameras, it’s for my ego. I need the cameras to sleep with incredible satisfaction. I always try to criticize the players and make them understand how bad they are.
On Sunday, Manchester City failed to score at home in the league for the first time since October 2021. Guardiola brought in Grealish and Belgian winger Jérémy Doku on the hour mark to force the Gunners’ lock, in vain .
The three-time reigning champions (3rd, 64 points) are three points behind current leader Liverpool and one behind Arsenal before welcoming Aston Villa (4th, 59 pts) on Wednesday, nine days before the end of the championship.
