BLACK AND BLUEBIRDS
Pep demands protection of City ‘artists’ as German FA joins attack on Cardiff for this horror tackle which put Sane out for a month
PEP GUARDIOLA pleaded for referees to protect football’s ‘artists’ after Cardiff’s brutal treatment of Leroy Sane – and even the German FA joined in.
Sane could miss the League Cup final with an ankle injury after a horror tackle by Joe Bennett. After revealing his Germany star is set to be out for a month, Guardiola (inset) said: “The only thing they have to do is protect the players. Not the Manchester City players, all of them.
“Protect the players or it will happen again. So please. For football in general, the players they are the artists, you have to take care of them. It’s why you
and I are here. Do I fear a player will be seriously injured? Of course. Not my players, the players in general. “Every team can play how they want. If they decide to play in that way, perfect. But there is one man, in black, he has to decide what is correct and incorrect.” Germany’s official Twitter account posted: “Hey, @CardiffCityFC. Just letting you know, we have a really important tournament in the summer. Please don’t hurt our players. Thanks, #DieMannschaft #inSane.” Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling, for his 19th goal of the season, struck to keep City’s Quadruple bid alive. But Guardiola added: “When you say: ‘Why don’t you win the four titles?’ I need the players to win the four titles. “It is an illusion to think we can win all four. With this schedule it’s impossible.” Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock hit back over the tackles and told the Catalan he should expect such tactics in English football. “They dished out a bit as well,” Warnock said. “I think they had one or two naughty tackles. “He’s in England, what do you expect? I suppose when you’re like that you want everything to be nice and pretty but you don’t get that here. You get different challenges, don’t you?” Bennett scythed down Sane just before half-time and received only a booking from Lee Mason. He was dismissed in second-half injury-time for another foul on sub Brahim Diaz.