‘Don’t talk too loud, Barcelona, that’s my advice’: Pep Guardiola hits out at his former club after their president backed Manchester City’s Champions League ban… and tells them they don’t need to ‘spy’ on him on social media
- Manchester City were banned from UEFA competitions for two seasons over Financial Fair Play breaches
- Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu thanked UEFA and supported City’s ban
- Pep Guardiola has hit back at his former club and told them ‘don’t talk too loud’
- Bartomeu is also accused of hiring a social media firm to smear Guardiola as well key figures at the club such as Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique
Pep Guardiola has hit back at his former club Barcelona after their president appeared to support Manchester City’s two-season Champions League ban by UEFA.
City were banished from all UEFA competitions after alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play regulations, but will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and are confident of overturning the ruling.
But in light of the decision, Barca chief Josep Bartomeu spoke out to ‘thank’ UEFA for their work to ensure clubs obey FFP rules and said the club supported them.
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Pep Guardiola has hit back at Barcelona chief Josep Bartomeu after he backed City’s UEFA ban
‘I would like to thank UEFA regarding FFP,’ he said. ‘They’ve been doing fantastic work in the last couple of years. We have regular investigations and we have supported UEFA in everything it does in football.’
But Guardiola has told his former employers ‘don’t talk too loud’ after Bartomeu’s comments, and also responded to claims that the supremo hired a social media firm to smear him and other key Barca personnel to improve his own image.
‘I don’t know if they spy me but they know me, it is not necessary to spy me,’ Guardiola said.
The former Barcelona boss was not pleased with comments about City from his former side
‘If they are happy we are suspended, I say to the president of Barcelona, “give us two appeals”. I ask right now that the people trust what they have done.
Don’t talk too loud Barcelona. That is my advice, because everybody is involved sometimes in situations.
‘We are going to appeal and hopefully in the future we can play Champions League against Barcelona.’
Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu has been forced to deny hiring a firm of social media experts to smear the names of various key figures at the club
Barcelona have denied accusations that Bartomeu hired the social media firm I3 Ventures to smear Guardiola or anyone else.
In a statement it said it ‘strongly denies any relationship and, even more so, the contracting of services linked to social network accounts that have spread negative or disparaging messages in relation to any person, entity or organisation that has or has had a relationship with the Club’.
It had been alleged that Barca was behind a string of negative stories on social media to erode the images of several stars and ex-players while also improving the president’s image.
City are preparing to face Barcelona’s LaLiga rivals Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16 next week as they look to put their UEFA crisis to one side.
