Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is “ashamed” by comments he made about Steven Gerrard and has apologised to the Liverpool legend.
During his press conference last Friday, which was City’s first since the Premier League charged them with over 100 breaches of their financial rules, Guardiola took a swipe at Gerrard.
The City manager referenced Gerrard slipping during a game against Chelsea at the back end of the 2013-14 season, which allowed the Blues to win 2-0 at Anfield.
City went on to pip Liverpool to the title and Guardiola referenced the infamous slip when being quizzed about the prospect of the club being stripped of their trophies for financial breaches. The club denies all wrongdoing.
“Absolutely, they belong to us,” said Guardiola. “Regardless of the sentence, they belong to us.
“The moment from Sergio Aguero, with [Mario] Balotelli slipping him in. I don't know if we are responsible for Steven Gerrard slipping. In that situation at Anfield I didn't want that, for respect for Steven Gerrard, but is it our fault?”
Guardiola has now apologised to Gerrard, taking the opportunity to address the situation before his press conference on Tuesday ahead of City’s trip to Premier League leaders Arsenal on Wednesday.
The City boss has said his comments were “unnecessary and stupid” and he has also contacted Gerrard directly to say sorry.
“I apologise to Steven Gerrard for my unnecessary and stupid comments I said the last time about him,” said Guardiola. “He knows how I admire him and his career, what he has done for this country that I am living and training in.
“I’m ashamed of myself, what I said, because he doesn’t deserve it. I truly believe my comments, what I said in my previous press conference, about how I defend my club - but I didn’t represent my club well putting his name in these stupid comments.
“So, I apologise and I said it to him personally. But like I comment publicly, I have to do it (apologise) here as well. So I am so sorry to him, his wife, kids, family, because it was stupid.”
Guardiola was speaking ahead of City’s crunch clash at Arsenal on Wednesday night, with the winner set to go top of the Premier League.
City closed the gap on Arsenal to three points at the weekend by beating Aston Villa 3-1 after the Gunners drew 1-1 with Brentford.
“So far they are the best team in the Premier League,” said Guardiola. “They make an incredible first round, first leg of the League.
“We found it a few weeks ago when we played the FA Cup here, how committed, sharp and everything. We have to try to read the game we are going to play. It will be a big, big battle in many departments. You have to be ready.”
