Guardiola’s Light-Hearted Take on City’s £2m Premier League Fine
Pep Guardiola addressed Manchester City’s recent £2 million fine by the Premier League with a touch of humor, admitting he was unaware the club was violating rules regarding kick-off delays. He quipped that he might need to shorten his team talks to avoid future infractions.
City were fined for 22 instances of late or delayed kick-offs over the past two seasons. Despite initial warnings, the Premier League escalated the penalties, starting at £10,000 and reaching up to £200,000 for repeated offenses.
In their official statement, the Premier League noted that City had reminded players and management of the importance of timely starts and restarts. These fines are unrelated to the club’s 115 alleged breaches of financial regulations and their legal dispute with the Premier League over Associated Party Transaction rules.
Speaking about the fines for the first time, Guardiola said he “read the news when it appeared” and brushed off the punishment, joking that he “will try to do my speeches at half-time shorter.”
Encouraging News on Erling Haaland’s Fitness
Guardiola also shared a positive update on Erling Haaland’s fitness. The striker had been substituted at half-time in City’s last two friendlies due to a pre-planned change and later due to reported muscular problems against Barcelona in Orlando.
Guardiola had previously stated that he would not risk Haaland in friendlies to prevent missing competitive action. He noted that “sooner or later” Haaland would need to resume training.
However, Haaland has shown improvement. Guardiola remarked, “He is much better. He told me today he woke up much better and hopefully tomorrow he can play a few minutes.”
Haaland further boosted spirits by training at the Lower.com Field, home of MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew, in front of 6,000 City fans in Ohio, despite the high ticket prices and poor weather affecting attendance.
Conclusion
Guardiola’s humorous approach to the Premier League fine and the positive news on Haaland’s fitness show his focus on keeping the team in good spirits while addressing the challenges ahead. The light-heartedness mixed with crucial updates indicates a balanced approach to managing both the squad and external pressures.
