Pep Guardiola Criticizes Referees Over Erling Haaland’s Treatment at Man City
Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, has openly criticized referees for their treatment of striker Erling Haaland. His remarks follow a controversial incident during the Carabao Cup semifinal against Newcastle United.
Pep Guardiola’s Critique on Refereeing Standards
During the match, a goal by Antoine Semenyo was disallowed following a lengthy VAR review that lasted five-and-a-half minutes. The decision arose after Haaland, who was positioned offside, was considered to have interfered with play.
Unfair Treatment of Erling Haaland
Guardiola articulated his frustrations, asserting that Haaland is unfairly singled out for fouls. “He is the only striker in the world that makes more fouls than defenders do on him,” Guardiola noted. He mentioned that the opposite was expected at the start of the season, suggesting refereeing standards are inconsistent.
- Haaland is renowned for his physical style of play.
- Guardiola emphasized the need for fair treatment in the box.
- Both players and referees should have consistent expectations regarding fouls.
Haaland’s Current Performance
Despite scoring 29 goals in 26 appearances this season, Haaland has only netted once in his last six matches, with that goal being a penalty. Guardiola indicated that Haaland might be struggling due to the demanding schedule of frequent matches.
“We are fortunate to have Erling in our team right now,” Guardiola said, adding that Haaland is essential to Manchester City’s success this season. He expressed confidence that the striker will regain his sharpness despite the high volume of games.
Upcoming Matches
Manchester City will return to Premier League play soon, facing rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford in a highly anticipated derby match this Saturday.
