- Manchester City beat Wolves on penalties in the Carabao Cup fourth round
- Claudio Bravo was the hero in the shootout as he saved two Wolves efforts
- Post-match Pep Guardiola took aim at the competition’s Mitre match ball
- The City manager said the ball was ‘unacceptable’ for professional football
- MATCH REPORT: Bravo the hero as Guardiola’s side win on penalties
Pep Guardiola bizarrely blamed the match ball after Manchester City beat Wolves on penalties to scrape into the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.
City’s reserve goalkeeper Claudio Bravo saved twice in the shootout to rescue the Premier League leaders following a goalless draw at the Etihad.
But Guardiola criticised the Mitre ball used in the competition, saying it was too light compared to the Nike version favoured by the Premier League.
The Mitre ball takes centre stage as it is held by Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan during a discussion by Yaya Toure. Their boss Pep Guardiola complained about it after the game
Pep Guardiola said the cup’s Mitre match ball was ‘unacceptable’ for high-level competition
If he had any, Pep Guardiola would have been pulling his hair out as he watched at The Etihad
‘The ball was unacceptable for a high-level competition,’ said Guardiola, whose side City have their kit provided by Nike, the Premier League’s ball manufacturer, in a £20m-a-year deal.
‘It is too light. It moves all over the place. It is not a good ball. It’s impossible to score with a ball like that, and I can say that because we won.
‘I’m not making excuses. All of my players said: “What is that?”.
‘I’m sorry, Carabao Cup, it is not a serious ball for a serious competition. It’s marketing, money, okay. But it’s not acceptable. No weight, nothing.
‘One day or two days, but the ball is bad for one year or two years. All the players complain.’
Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo responded: ‘I can’t compare them. It is our ball in both competitions (Championship and Carabao Cup). The only difference is the colour.’
City star Jesus heads the Mitre ball as he leads his side through the tunnel before the game
Gundogan appears to have no problems as he dribbles with the under-fire match ball
Forgotten man Claudio Bravo saved Manchester City from a Carabao Cup fourth round exit
Guardiola paid tribute to Bravo who has been replaced by new £35million signing Ederson Moraes after a calamitous first season in England.
The Chile international made three one-on-one saves before his shootout heroics.
‘Without him we would not be in the next round,’ added Guardiola. ‘It was not easy for him last season for him, but he’s a keeper at a high level.
‘Claudio is here to play but he’s a good professional and he has to be ready. You never know what happens in football. But it’s not easy to come in for games like this.
‘You can’t play for Barcelona and Chile without being at a high level. He deserved the performance.’
MITRE DELTA EFL vs NIKE ORDEM V
Mitre Delta EFL
Manufacturer’s description: It is ‘engineered with revolutionary Hyperseam technology for rapid speed, ultimate control and increased durability’.
Features: Bonded seams for protection against water, embossed surface ‘to enhance airflow’, FIFA Quality Pro stamped
Used by: Championship, League One, League Two
Price: £115
Nike Ordem V
Manufacturer’s description: It ‘features Nike Aerowtrac grooves and a micro-textured casing for true flight, accuracy and control’.
Features: 12 panels, ‘fuse-welded’ synthetic leather casing, ‘enhanced’ graphics to aid visibility
Used by: Premier League
Price: £99
Laws of the game – rule 2: The ball
International football rules state the ball should weight 14 to 16oz (400-450g)