Khaberni - Pep Guardiola broke his refereeing silence for the first time in years, speaking in an unusual tone about video technology and refereeing decisions, in statements that carried many direct messages, although he emphasized that he is not looking for excuses or justifications following the results his team has achieved.
Guardiola expressed his astonishment at the clear inconsistency in decision-making following his team’s match against Newcastle in the League Cup on Tuesday, pointing out that four referees could not resolve a situation due to unclear lines, while he considered the offside lines to be "perfect" in a previous goal for Newcastle in a match dating back to November.
The Spanish coach affirmed that he does not understand the reason for this difference in standards, especially with the technological advancements that are supposed to reduce, not increase, the margin of controversy.
The Manchester City manager recalled previous matches, stopping at an encounter with Newcastle in the league when his team lost 1-2, considering that there was a clear penalty not awarded after a rough challenge on Phil Foden, along with a handball situation described as unbelievable following a shot by Jeremy Doku, without any intervention from video technology, despite the clarity of the situation from his perspective.
Despite the severity of his words, Guardiola stressed that he had not doubted the refereeing during the ten years he spent in the league, and did not open this file even in painful defeats, asserting that he is speaking now only after a win so as not to have his words interpreted as an attempt to escape responsibility or justify the results.
He also referred to other refereeing situations he had previously remained silent about, including a famous incident in the Cup final against Crystal Palace, asserting that what he raises today are legitimate questions about the standards, not direct accusations, expecting the head of the referee committee to explain the decision and calm the controversy.
In another context, Guardiola revealed the physical concerns of Erling Haaland, asserting that the Norwegian striker is suffering from fatigue, and expressing hope for Omar Marmoush's quick return to provide additional offensive solutions and alleviate the burden on Haaland in the upcoming period.
