“Pep Guardiola Slaps Himself with Fine After Fiery Clash with Phil Foden in Man City Showdown”
“Pep Guardiola Fines Himself After Heated Exchange with Phil Foden in Explosive Man City Incident”
Guardiola offered an apology to Foden.
During the 2020/21 season, Phil Foden truly earned Pep Guardiola’s admiration, evolving into one of Manchester City’s core players. Last season, he capped off his success by winning the PFA Young Player of the Year, scoring 19 goals and providing eight assists, including two goals on the Premier League’s final day to secure the title.
While Guardiola has often praised Foden, both as a player and a person, the two had a notable confrontation in October 2020. The issue arose when Guardiola, a famously demanding perfectionist, criticized Foden for a free-kick he took during City’s 3-1 Champions League victory over Porto.
According to The Telegraph’s James Ducker, Guardiola yelled, “F****** hell Phil! F****** hell! You haven’t done what I said!” Foden, feeling there was a double standard in how his manager treated players, was reportedly furious. He left for the dressing room right after the game, confronting Guardiola and telling him, “Don’t ever do that to me again! You wouldn’t do that to other players.”
Rather than reacting defensively, Guardiola apologized on the spot, and the next day issued a second apology before the whole team. He even decided to fine himself, with the money going into the players’ fund—a gesture that resonated well with the group. Guardiola also respected Foden’s assertiveness, feeling it marked a major turning point in Foden’s growth into a key player for City.
