Ex-Premier League referee: Pep Guardiola will have lambasted Jack Grealish privately after Man City source’s reveal
Pep Guardiola will have warned Jack Grealish about his behaviour as Man City progressed to the Champions League semi-finals after a 0-0 draw last week secured a 1-0 aggregate victory.
That is the view of ex-Fifa and Premier League referee Keith Hackett, speaking exclusively to Football Insider after Guardiola’s “absolutely brilliant” conduct at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Grealish was at the heart of controversy when Stefan Savic grabbed his hair following a four-lettered insult that caused a mass brawl in the closing stages.
A Man City source told Football Insider on Sunday (17 April) that the 26-year-old’s behaviour and ill discipline had left Guardiola.
“The way Pep Guardiola handled himself was absolutely brilliant,” Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“He wouldn’t get drawn into making any sort of comments about the match officials and that’s a great credit to him.
“With Jack Grealish, remember as a substitute you are subject to the laws of the game and the referee. As a substitute, you can be yellow carded and red carded but here you’ve got to see and hear those things.
“I have no doubts Guardiola will have spoken to him and his team. When you look at his teams, he promotes good football. His concentration will be on how they play.
“It will be within his remits after analysing the game very closely. I have no doubts he will have had words.”
On the pitch, Grealish has failed to fully live up to his £100million price tag.
A goal in City’s 3-2 loss to Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final on Saturday (16 April) was just his fifth since his summer move from Aston Villa.
In other news, Man City’s move for Erling Haaland could hit the rocks after a ‘worrying’ update from Germany.