EPL

Guardiola pledges no sentiment as Aguero battles for fond City farewell

By Sports Desk May 17, 2021

Pep Guardiola will be "cold" with his Manchester City players as they jockey for selection ahead of the Champions League final.

City travel to Brighton and Hove Albion on Tuesday for the penultimate game of their triumphant Premier League campaign, before lifting the trophy in front of their fans against Everton on Sunday.

Sergio Aguero will hope to bid farewell to the Etihad Stadium faithful at the weekend in his last home game before departing in the close season, although the injury woes that have ruined the Argentina striker's final campaign in Manchester have returned and he will not travel to the Amex Stadium.

"He has niggles. He's a little bit disturbed in his leg, his adductor," Guardiola said.

"He felt something before the Newcastle game. He's still not fit. Hopefully he’ll be ready to play against Everton."

Sentiment might enter Guardiola's thinking on the final weekend of the domestic season, but he will be all business in Porto on May 29, when City take on Chelsea in a bid for their first European trophy for 51 years.

"I would say I would be cold. I have to take a decision which is the best to win that game," he said.

"If Sergio is fit, he is going to help us, that is for sure. If he is going to help us score goals, he is going to play, but it's the final of the Champions League.

"I have to take the decision that gives us the best chance of winning that game."

For forwards like Aguero or Ferran Torres – who staked his claim with an excellent hat-trick in the 4-3 win at Newcastle United – any hopes of selection at Estadio do Dragao might be forlorn, given City's progress through the knockout rounds relied largely upon deploying the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan in a striker-less formation.

However, after the victory at St James' Park, Guardiola intriguingly said he has "two options" for the final and on Monday he stated selection was more up in the air than in his 2009 and 2011 Champions League triumphs with Barcelona.

"Always it was difficult but always I remember the first XI of Barcelona was clear," he said.

"Here we rotate a lot and everybody can play, so still right now I am not clear the way we are going to play and with who we are going to play, so that’s why I have to take a look these 10, 11 days. After, we have to take the decision.

"This is the toughest moment. That is why the relationship between the players and the manager has to have a little bit of distance.

"You cannot have that close a relationship because you have to take decisions that take part in their careers and sometimes I am unfair to them, but it is what it is. I don't have another solution."

Nevertheless, none of this has stopped plenty of training ground pleasantries over recent days, with Guardiola knowing this is not simply as a result of spirits riding high after being crowned champions last week.

"They listen a little bit more. It's a serious point, they’re not stupid," he chuckled. "They want to play, so they are nicer to me.

"Then I will make a selection and they will be who they are normally: grumpy, upset with me. That's normal."

Related items

  • Willie Kirk sacked as Leicester boss after position became ‘untenable’ Willie Kirk sacked as Leicester boss after position became ‘untenable’

    Leicester have sacked women’s first-team boss Willie Kirk after the club determined the Scot had “breached the team’s code of conduct to a degree that makes his position untenable”.

    The 45-year-old last took charge of the Foxes when they lost 4-0 in the Women’s Super League to Chelsea on March 3, before the club subsequently announced that Kirk was “assisting the club with an internal process”  and would not be on the touchline for their March 9 FA Cup quarter-final.

    Kirk’s then-assistant Jennifer Foster, supported by first team coach Stephen Kirby, oversaw that 2-0 victory and have remained at the helm since.

    They will remain in charge until Kirk’s permanent successor is named.

    A Leicester statement read: “Leicester City Football Club can confirm that Willie Kirk has been dismissed from his position as LCFC Women Manager.

    “Following an extensive internal disciplinary process and respecting the Club’s obligations to individual privacy, Willie was determined to have breached the team’s code of conduct to a degree that makes his position untenable.

    “Established and implemented ahead of the start of the current season, the code forms part of the Club’s ongoing commitment to professionalising the women’s game since the takeover of LCFC Women in 2020, promoting a performance-led culture among players, coaches and technical staff.

    “First Team responsibilities for LCFC Women will continue to be led by Jennifer Foster, supported by Stephen Kirby, while the Club begins the process of appointing a new permanent manager.”

  • Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds owed nearly £9million by Wrexham Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds owed nearly £9million by Wrexham

    Wrexham lost £5million in the year of their promotion to the English Football League and now owe nearly £9m to Hollywood owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.

    But turnover doubled to almost £10.5m and Wrexham say financial losses suffered since McElhenney and Reynolds’ takeover in February 2021 should not be repeated due to the income now generated by the League Two club.

    “The amount owed to The RR McReynolds Company, LLC (owned by McElhenney and Reynolds) at the year-end was £8.977m (2022: £3.714m),” read a Wrexham statement.

    “The financial losses suffered by the club since the takeover shouldn’t be repeated, with income generated by the club now sufficient to meet the operational costs of the club going forward.

    “These losses were deemed necessary to allow the club to maximise its full potential in the shortest time practically possible.

    “The club is under no immediate pressure to repay these loans at the expense of the progress we seek to achieve and further financial support will be provided/secured to support the capital expenditure projects the club is currently planning, which includes increasing the capacity of The Racecourse Ground and the development of a training facility for all the club’s teams.

    “The year-on-year income comparisons since the takeover, show the potential of the club.

    “These will significantly increase again for the year ending June 30, 2024, following promotion and the continued popularity of Welcome to Wrexham.”

    Wrexham ended a 15-year absence from the EFL last April by winning the National League, while the women’s team also won promotion to the top tier of Welsh football.

    Turnover increased from £5.972m to £10.478m in the year ending June 30, 2023, but losses were up from £2.913m to £5.113m.

    Wrexham payroll rose from just over £4m to nearly £7m, offsetting increased income in retail operation, sponsorship and advertising and football revenue due to the Dragons reaching the fourth round of the FA Cup.

    The club has attracted widespread global interest following two successful seasons of the FX documentary series Welcome to Wrexham.

    Phil Parkinson’s side are chasing a second successive promotion and are currently third in League Two with seven games to play.

  • Former Nottingham Forest and Liverpool defender Larry Lloyd dies aged 75 Former Nottingham Forest and Liverpool defender Larry Lloyd dies aged 75

    Nottingham Forest have paid tribute to double European Cup winner Larry Lloyd, who has died at the age of 75.

    Lloyd, who also won the First Division title and UEFA Cup with Liverpool, was a key player in the Forest side which won the European Cup in 1979 and 1980 under manager Brian Clough.

    The Bristol-born defender won four caps for England and went on to manage Wigan and Notts County following the end of his hugely-successful playing career.

    In a statement on the club’s website, Forest wrote: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Larry Lloyd.

    “Part of the Miracle Men, Larry was an integral player in the Forest side that memorably won back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980, making 218 appearances for the club in total.

    “We send our condolences to Larry’s friends and family at this truly sad time. Rest in peace, Larry.”

    Lloyd began his career with Bristol Rovers before being signed by Liverpool manager Bill Shankly for £50,000 in 1969.

    The Reds won the league and UEFA Cup double in 1973, with Lloyd remarkably playing in every game that season.

    Liverpool paid tribute to an “aerially dominant and strong-tackling” player, whose goal in the first leg of the UEFA Cup final against Borussia Monchengladbach proved vital.

    Lloyd made it 3-0 on the hour mark following a brace from Kevin Keegan at Anfield, with the Reds winning 3-2 on aggregate after losing the second leg in Germany 2-0.

    “Liverpool FC is deeply saddened by the passing of former defender Larry Lloyd, aged 75,” the club said in a statement.

    “LFC will pay tribute to Lloyd with a period of applause at Anfield on Sunday when the Reds host Brighton.

    “The thoughts of everyone at the club are with Larry’s family and friends at this sad time.”

    After two years at Coventry, Lloyd moved to the City Ground in a £60,000 deal and went on to form a vital centre-back partnership with Kenny Burns as Forest beat Malmo in the European Cup final in 1979.

    Forest retained the trophy a year later against Kevin Keegan’s Hamburg.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.