Pep: So Dim to mock City spirit

DAVID MCDONNELL

BY

PEP GUARDIOLA has hit back at former Manchester United duo Patrice Evra and Dimitar Berbatov for questioning the character of his Manchester City side.

Evra claimed Guardiola did not like players with personality, while Berbatov put City’s Champions League exit to Real Madrid down to a lack of focus and concentration.

But Guardiola brushed aside their criticism by saying he saw no signs of such personality from Evra and

Berbatov when his

Barcelona side

“destroyed” United

3-1 in the 2011

Champions League final (celebrating right).

Asked about the character City showed by bouncing back from their semi-final defeat to win their next two league games, Guardiola seized the chance to give the pair both barrels.

“The answer is so easy,” said the Etihad boss. “It’s the same character and personality we showed when we lost in Madrid in the last few minutes.

“Special former players, like Berbatov, Evra and these type of people, weren’t there.

“I played against them and, when I played against them, I didn’t see this kind of personality when we destroyed them in the Champions League final against United. It’s the same character and personality.

“You can’t have personality because you concede two goals in two minutes, after you have two chances to score?

“In the last four games we scored 19 goals, so we have an incredible personality and these kinds of things are said? I’m sorry, but I completely disagree.

“Personality is what we’ve done in the last five years, every three days, in all competitions. Maybe Liverpool are going to win all four titles or maybe just one, but am I going to say they don’t have personality and character?

“That they didn’t have an incredible season, even when they lost the Premier League by one or two points to us? That they don’t have character and personality?

“Of course they do and they are good. Sometimes, football is like this and it just happens.”

Four points from the remaining two games, against West Ham tomorrow and Aston Villa next Sunday, will give City the title.

“I don’t know what will happen in the next two games,” added Guardiola. “Football changes so quickly – it can give you a punch in the face.”