‘That’s brutal’, ‘surprised he’s not backing him’ – Man City fans react as Pep Guardiola blasts ‘stupid’ Walker for UCL ban

Pep Guardiola admits he is still angry with Kyle Walker over his sending off in Manchester City’s defeat at RB Leipzig three months ago.

The right-back’s dismissal in City’s final Champions League group game in December for a needless kick at Portugal forward Andre Silva incurred a three-match ban.

At the time, Guardiola said he agreed with the referee’s decision to show Walker a straight red, and three months, his temper clearly hasn’t cooled on the matter.

City did try to appeal Walker’s extended ban, although Uefa upheld their three-game ban, which means Walker cannot play on Wednesday when the Sky Blues host Sporting Lisbon in the second leg of their Champions League tie.

Now with City short of players due to injury and illness for the the tie against Sporting Lisbon at the Etihad Stadium, Guardiola said he has still not forgiven the England defender.

That could well explain Guardiola’s fury, with the Catalan revealing in his pre-match press conference that he also cannot call upon the services of Joao Cancelo for the second leg due to illness.

“He deserved the three-game ban,” said Guardiola at his pre-match press conference. “When a player does a stupid thing, he deserves to be banned for three games.

“I’m not so kind to Kyle in this kind of action. I’m still so angry with him.

“It’s not necessary to discuss (it) with him – he knows it. Kyle is so important for us – you saw the game he played against United – but in Leipzig when we had already qualified, 80 minutes in and he made this kind of action? He deserves the three games.

“The club appealed but I did not agree. They had to do it because in other similar cases it was just two games (but) he deserved it. Hopefully he learns for the future.”

These Guardiola’s comments were shared on Twitter by City Xtra and it attracted plenty of attention from the club’s supporters.

“Wow, that’s brutal.”
Credit: @vinnie070

“surprised he’s not backing him.”
Credit: @Thebigkun

“Well said Pep”
Credit: @MCFCADAM123

“100% true. Walker need to learn from his mistake.”
Credit: @PhanNguynDuyHn1

“This not the pep I know 😭
But to be fair it was a horrendous tackle”
Credit: @Sahilpa86232916