Pep dismisses Porto’s referee claims ahead of latest meeting with Conceicao
PEP GUARDIOLA is ready for another bad-tempered Champions League encounter with Porto after dismissing accusations from the Portuguese champions that he puts pressure on referees.
Manchester City won the game at the Etihad Stadium comfortably but the evening was soured by a number of heated exchanges between Guardiola and the Porto manager Sergio Conceicao on the touchline.
That led to an extraordinary outburst by Conceicao after the game. He said “he had a lot to learn” from Guardiola “in how he pressures referees, talks to opposition players and the opposition dugout”.
He went on to insist his staff “were angels” compared to City’s while the match report on the club’s official website was titled “A Latvian and a Dutch helped the English celebrate”, in reference to the nationality of the officials.
That brought a strong denial from Guardiola who, speaking ahead of the return leg in Porto, said: “I’m not agreeing, it’s his
opinion but we didn’t pressure the ref, we are not this type of team to do this kind of thing.
“I’d admit it, if there’s an action [decision] you do not agree, but it’s not what we are.
“The five years we are here, our behaviour speaks for itself. I’m not agreeing, it’s not true.”
The tension between the two men in the dugout will add some spice to the fixture with City, who are already assured of a place in the last 16, still needing at least one more point from their remaining two group games to top the group.
And given what happened in the first game in Manchester, Guardiola is expecting another feisty affair.
He added: “It will be a tough, physical game, it was here. They fight for each other, they have physciality outstanding and it will be tough, but that’s normal, it’s the Champions League away from home.
“The quality they have, with Benfica they are the top team [in Portugal]. Olimpiacos and Porto they have to win every weekend and that makes them so dangerous.
“We expected it when they came here that it would be difficult and tomorrow will be the same.” (© Daily Telegraph, London)
FC Porto v Manchester City, Live, VM 2/BT Sport 3, 8.0