Pep Guardiola and Kevin de Bruyne clashed in a heated exchange during Manchester City’s defeat of Real Madrid on Wednesday, and fans have worked out what they said to each other.
City demolished Real Madrid 4-0 in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final tie, and advanced to the final 5-1 on aggregate.
Pep Guardiola’s side were utterly dominant in the first half, with Los Blancos barely able to get a touch of the ball.
After Thibaut Courtois had twice thwarted Erling Haaland from close range, Bernardo Silva opened the scoring with a superbly taken finish.
The midfielder doubled City’s lead shortly before the interval with a rare headed effort, before Manuel Akanji and Julian Alvarez completed the rout in the second half.
City’s performance has been hailed as the best of the Guardiola era, such was the way they dismissed the 14-time European champions.
But Guardiola, ever the perfectionist, still managed to find minor flaws in his side’s display.
That was clear in the second half, when the City coach berated star midfielder Kevin de Bruyne from the sideline.
The Belgian was striding forward into the Madrid half, but took a heavy touch and was dispossessed by Eder Militao.
Multiple videos published on Twitter show Guardiola shouting at De Bruyne to pass the ball, with the 31-year-old reacting furiously.
After losing the ball, De Bruyne turned towards his manager and shouted, “shut up! Shut up!”
De Bruyne did not have his best night in a City shirt, although even then he still managed to provide the assist for Bernardo’s opener.
There should be no concern about the relationship between player and manager though – in elite football, these things are commonplace when emotions and tensions run high.
Both will care far more about City having qualified for the final for a second time in three years.
City, chasing a Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League treble, will face Internazionale Milano in the final in Istanbul on June 10.
