I’ll be punished if I reveal feelings about ref: Pep
PEP Guardiola refused to talk about the officials, despite showing frustration with some decisions during Manchester City’s last-gasp Champions League victory at Hoffenheim.
The City manager was back on the touchline for his side’s second match in Group F after serving a ban for the opener, but he risked further sanction as he remonstrated with referee Damir Skomina during the game.
Guardiola was also seen to shout in the direction of the fourth official as he went over to shake opposite number Julian Nagelsmann’s hand following City’s 2-1 victory at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena.
Guardiola was first spoken to by Skomina after encroaching onto the field to complain after David Silva was prevented from taking a quick throw-in. He was then incensed late in the game after Leroy Sane was denied a penalty — when the score was still 1-1 — for what seemed a blatant foul by Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann.
Guardiola still has a onematch suspended ban hanging over him after he was punished for protests in last season’s quarter-final loss against Liverpool.
But asked about the matters after the game, Guardiola said: “I don’t want to talk, I don’t want to talk, I don’t want to talk about officials. I want to be with my players in the next games. I know what happened against Monaco at home and against Liverpool last season. I don’t want to talk.”
The heat was taken out of the situation to some degree by a late winner from Silva. The Spaniard pounced on a defensive mistake three minutes from time.
City had fallen behind to an Ishak Belfodil strike inside the first minute, but Sergio Aguero quickly equalised.
The result secured City’s first points of their campaign after defeat to Lyon a fortnight ago.
Guardiola was pleased with the final outcome and hopes the difficult nature of the first two games will prove of benefit.
He said: “After one minute we conceded and it’s not easy, but after that we fought, as always, as a team. The previous two seasons were not simple, but we qualified with games left and this time it’s not going to happen.
“Maybe for the future it’s going to be good to live this kind of situation. You cannot go through to quarters, semis, without living these situations. That’s why today is one of the happiest days I’ve had in this club because it’s going to help us.”
Hoffenheim coach Nagelsmann said: “Tactically, I saw a very good performance from my team, who created chances against a world-class team. We created good moments and doing that against a side like City is something we can build on.”