WE’LL SEE YOU ON THE PITCH
Pep’s threat to backstabbers after Euro ban is overturned
THERE was no holding back Pep Guardiola yesterday as he channelled his inner Roy Keane.
All of Guardiola’s frustration over the sneers directed at Manchester City came out with an outburst that would have earned Keane’s approval.
This was Guardiola’s version of Keane’s infamous tunnel clash with Patrick Vieira, when the former Manchester United skipper snarled at his rival: “We’ll see you out there.”
The message from Guardiola was delivered with a similarly chilling threat, warning those who tried but failed to bring City down: “Now try to beat us on the pitch.”
Rarely has Guardiola been so animated facing the media, launching an impassioned defence of City’s reputation which he claimed had been restored with the overturning of their two-year Champions League ban.
Throughout the UEFA investigation and appeal process Guardiola was adamant justice would prevail. And after the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld City’s appeal, Guardiola gave critics both barrels.
“In recent years, how many times did people come to our club to whisper about us?” said Guardiola.
“I would like to say to these people, ‘Look into our eyes and say something face to face’, then go on to the pitch and play. After, if they beat us, I won’t hesitate to shake their hands and we will congratulate them, but they lost off the pitch.
“They have to go on the pitch and try to beat us. I said many times, if we did something wrong we would accept our ban.
“But we can play in the Champions League next season because what we’ve done is right.
“I know for elite clubs – especially Liverpool, United, Arsenal – it’s uncomfortable us being here. But they have to understand we deserve to be with them, competing with them. We want to go on the pitch competing with them and try to achieve the things that they have achieved in the past. We don’t have to ask permission to be there, we deserve to be there.
“When we lose I will shake the hand of my opponents and colleagues as we have done.
“We have invested a lot of money, like a lot of clubs, but we did the right thing. If not, we would be banned, and we’re not banned because we followed FFP rules.”
He defended City’s huge investment over the past decade, but said even they have limitations.
“We have a lot of money but we wanted Alexis Sanchez and we couldn’t afford him,” said Guardiola. “We wanted Harry Maguire but we couldn’t afford it. We have money but the other clubs have too.
“We spent in the past decade more than in the past, yes, but 25 years ago Arsenal with Arsene Wenger, the guy who defended FFP, Arsene you know Man City was correct in what we have done.
“Arsene, you know Arsenal spent a lot of money to be there, United spent a lot of money with Sir Alex Ferguson to be there.All the clubs do, if you want to be at the top.”