GUARDIOLA: SERGIO INCIDENT WITH MASSEY-ELLIS WAS TOTALLY ARMLESS

PEP GUARDIOLA has doubled down on his defence of Sergio Aguero for putting his arm around referee’s assistant Sian Massey-Ellis. Aguero was criticised for his actions, with Alan Shearer, Ian Wright and Gary Neville all calling for the Manchester City striker to issue an apology to Massey-Ellis. Guardiola defended Aguero in the immediate aftermath of the incident, which occurred in the first half of City’s 1-0 Premier League win over Arsenal last Saturday at the Etihad Stadium.

After Massey-Ellis had awarded the Gunners a throw-in, Aguero put his arm around her shoulder (top left), which caused the official to shrug him off.

Asked, on reflection, if he felt Aguero’s conduct warranted an apology, Guardiola said he was sure City’s record goalscorer would have said sorry had Massey-Ellis complained.

“I didn’t speak to Sergio about this, but I’m pretty sure if she felt bad, he will apologise without a problem,” said Guardiola (with Aguero, bottom left). “All the people looking from outside judge, but I know his intention.

“Sergio put his hands in a normal way, like he does many times to me, on or off the pitch.

Or when I hug him, when there is a substitution, or when sometimes he touches the referee as well or an opponent.

“If I’d seen some aggression, maybe. But I think it was normal as I know him perfectly. He’s humble, one of the nicest people I’ve met. His intention was to talk to her in a normal way.”

Guardiola compared it to the episode involving City teammates Bernardo Silva and

Benjamin Mendy, which saw the former cop an FA ban after being found guilty of misconduct for sending a tweet to Mendy which endorsed a racial stereotype.

Guardiola added: “It’s the same with what happened with Bernardo. I know him perfectly well, it was a joke and this was a normal situation.

“It’s like Bernardo and what he had with Mendy. They are brothers and he was suspended.”