‘He did a stupid thing. He deserves it, I’m STILL so angry with him’: Pep Guardiola reveals his rage at Kyle Walker, THREE MONTHS on from his Champions League red card – and says he didn’t want to appeal it
- Kyle Walker was sent off against RB Leipzig in a Champions League group game
- He received a straight red card for needlessly kicking Andre Silva in December
- Pep Guardiola has said that his challenge was ‘stupid’ and he deserves the ban
- The City boss has also said he was against appealing the length of Walker’s ban
Pep Guardiola says he is still furious with Kyle Walker after the full-back was given his marching orders during Manchester City’s 2-1 defeat to RB Leipzig in the Champions League group stage on December 7.
Walker was handed a three-match European ban instead of the automatic one-match ban after UEFA’s control, ethics and disciplinary body referred to his foul on Andre Silva as an ‘assault’.
Guardiola says Walker deserved to be handed such a lengthy ban after committing a ‘stupid’ foul when Manchester City had already secured their place at the top of Group A.
Pep Guardiola says Kyle Walker deserves a three match ban for his ‘stupid’ challenge on Andre Silva during Manchester City ‘s 2-1 defeat to RB Leipzig in the Champions League group stage
Manchester City asked for the board to reassess the length of Walker’s ban after the incident. However, the Premier League leaders had their request denied by the Appeals Body.
Guardiola has now revealed that he was against the appeal in the first place – saying he had a ‘different’ outlook on the ban to that of the club.
He felt that Walker deserved to be banned for three matches and insisted the layoff would force the defender to ‘learn’ from his actions.
When asked about how he felt about the appeal on Walker’s ban being rejected, the Manchester City boss said: ‘He deserves it. Kyle Walker deserves the three match ban.
The Manchester City right-back was shown a straight red card for needlessly kicking Silva
UEFA later handed Walker a three-match ban after the foul on Silva was called an ‘assault’
‘When a player does a stupid thing, he deserves to be banned for three games. I’m not so kind to Kyle in this kind of action. I’m still so angry with him.
‘It’s not necessary to discuss with him, he knows it. Kyle is so important for us, you saw the game he played against United?
‘But in Leipzig when we had already qualified, 80 minutes in and he made this kind of action? He deserves the three games.
‘The club appealed but I did not agree. They have to do it because in other similar cases it was just two games [but] he deserved it. Hopefully he learns for the future.’
More to follow…
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