Pep Guardiola sends personal apology to “Algerian people” after Riyad Mahrez decision
Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, has apologized to Algerians after choosing to not play Riyad Mahrez in the match against Newcastle United.
Phil Foden took up the position of right-wing instead and has been performing very well under Guardiola.
Foden scored a remarkable goal and gave Manchester City the lead in the game, which they eventually won 2-0 after Bernardo Silva scored in the second half.
At the weekend, Phil Foden scored a goal and became the youngest player to achieve 50 Premier League involvements for Manchester City, with a total of 33 goals and 17 assists at just 22 years and 280 days old.
Pep Guardiola was impressed by Foden’s performance, but questions were raised about why Riyad Mahrez was not included in the starting line-up during the post-match press conference at the Etihad Stadium.
Upon being quizzed on the decision not to introduce Mahrez into the weekend’s victory over Eddie Howe’s side, Pep Guardiola said, “I am so sorry for the Algerian people. It’s not my intention to make you feel sad.”
Guardiola continued, “But we have other players, for example Julian (Alvarez) from Argentina – who always will be sad with me because he didn’t play. There is Sergio Gomez who is from Spain that is upset with me, also Kalvin Phillips didn’t play today and all the British people are upset with me because he didn’t play.
“I have to take decisions. I have a huge opinion about Riyad; an exceptional player. But in that moment, Phil (Foden) has one rhythm higher, and Jack (Grealish) gives us a lot in terms of longer possessions too like Bernardo (Silva) and his commitment to receive and be aggressive against a back-four.
“That’s why I decide today with them. I felt during the game they were playing good, they were active, that is why I didn’t make a substitution. I said after Leipzig, we draw and the people say, ‘Why didn’t you use the substitutions?’ I said, ‘Because I felt it’. And today I make one because I felt it. If I don’t feel it, I don’t do it.”
Manchester City will enjoy a full week of rest before their next Premier League match against Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace team at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola and his players are currently five points behind league leaders Arsenal, who surprised everyone by beating Bournemouth 3-2 at the Emirates Stadium, with the visitors scoring in just nine seconds to take the lead.
Pep Guardiola sends personal apology to “Algerian people” after Riyad Mahrez decision
