CROSSY'S VERDICT
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ACTION GUARDIOLA PAYS PRICE FOR BLASTING SPANIARD
PEP GUARDIOLA turned into ‘Mystic Meg’ – and it left him high and dry in the stands at the Etihad.
Guardiola is regarded as a managerial genius, but now it seems he can even see into the future.
In the build-up to this crucial Champions League showdown Guardiola criticised the referee – before he had even been appointed.
The Manchester City boss is not a fan of Spanish official Antonio Mateu Lahoz and decided to make his feelings public.
Guardiola was livid at Lahoz’s failure to award Sergio Aguero a penalty in the first leg of City’s 5-3 Champions League Round of 16 win over Monaco last season.
The referee booked the Argentina striker for diving under a challenge from goalkeeper Danijel Subasic.
Lahoz then gave Monaco a penalty in the same game that was missed by Radamel Falcao, before City were dumped out of the competition after a 3-1 defeat in Monaco.
The Spaniard also awarded two penalties against City in October’s 2-1 win over Napoli in the group stages.
Speaking last week before the appointment of the referee, Guardiola said: “I remember what happened last year.
“It was 1-1 at home to Monaco when there was a clear penalty on Aguero and what should have been a red card, but the Spanish referee (Lahoz) didn’t call it. We went from a possible 2-1 lead to 2-1 deficit. These types of situations are very important.”
Guardiola is entitled to his opinions, of course, but might want to start keeping them to himself where this fella is concerned.
That’s because within 45 minutes of a fast and frantic quarter-final, second leg he found himself sat in the stands as he watched his side eliminated from the Champions League by Liverpool.
It’s never too bright to slaughter a referee because the chances are he will come back to haunt you.
Lahoz did just this last night, ruling out a legitimate goal for Leroy Sane that could have changed the whole complexion of this tie.
The German’s effort was disallowed for offside, when replays clearly showed the ball reached him from James Milner’s final touch. Guardiola couldn’t help himself at half-time, marching onto the pitch to remonstrate with Lahoz.
His punishment was a red card and seat in the directors’ box for the second half, which isn’t the ideal place to be when your team needs you like never before.
Instead, Guardiola could be seen whispering in the ear of his closest confidante Manuel Estiarte.
No one seems to know what Estiarte’s role actually is at the club, other than scowling at journalists during the club’s press conferences.
But perhaps Estiarte could return the compliment to Guardiola and whisper some words of advice to him.
Something along he lines of ‘‘Hey Pep, learn to keep you trap shut and stop making enemies in influential places, because it can bite you on the backside.”
JEREMY CROSS