Pep Guardiola Criticizes Spanish Referees After Champions League Draw

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expressed his frustration with Spanish referees following a contentious match that ended in a draw against Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Champions League. The game, played on October 18, 2023, saw City lose two crucial points due to a late penalty awarded to Eric Dier, igniting a heated exchange on the sidelines.

Prior to the match, Guardiola had lightheartedly referenced the officiating of Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz, recalling a memorable encounter during a 5-3 victory over AS Monaco in 2017. Despite his earlier joviality, the mood shifted dramatically as the game progressed. The penalty decision, which occurred late in the second half, led to chaotic scenes on the pitch, forcing referee Jesus Gil Manzano to intervene and issue at least one red card to the Monaco bench amidst the turmoil.

Following the match, Erling Haaland commented on the controversial penalty, stating, “If you kick someone in the face, it’s going to be a penalty.” His two first-half goals, which had initially put City in a strong position, ultimately proved insufficient as the team was unable to secure a win.

In his post-match remarks, Guardiola refrained from directly addressing the penalty incident but made a pointed reference to Spanish referees. He stated, “Nothing to say to Spanish referees,” before praising his team’s overall performance.

“We played a really good game,” Guardiola continued. “We always try to create more chances and concede few, and that’s what happened. They have fast players with their physicality so strong, but we conceded few, and we created a lot of chances considering it is the Champions League, and I’m really pleased for that.”

Despite the disappointment of the late penalty, Guardiola highlighted the positives from the match, noting that his players executed their game plan effectively. “Of course, we were close but at the end, we could not defend the free-kick well and we conceded the penalty,” he acknowledged. “In football, you have to win with the result. If you analyze the game, there were many things that were good.”

Guardiola also emphasized the need for his team to learn from such experiences, remarking, “Step by step we will be better. We had many chances, and Phil [Foden] in the first half played really well. We conceded almost nothing.”

As Manchester City continues its campaign in the Champions League, the focus will be on refining their performance and addressing the late-game lapses that led to this draw. The team remains determined to convert chances into victories as they aim for success in the prestigious tournament.