It has been reported that Pep Guardiola does not particularly enjoy giving public dressing-downs to players like Erling Haaland, for instance.
This comes from journalist Sam Lee after the pair were seen arguing about the Norwegian goalscorer’s heading technique after the Manchester Derby.
While Pep Guardiola is known to individually coach players during or after games, he is not a fan of doing so, as he did with Erling Haaland.
Sam Lee: Pep Guardiola does not like heated arguments like he had with Erling Haaland after the Manchester Derby
The Catalan tactician had quite a heated discussion with Haaland earlier in the season after City beat Burnley 3-0 at Turf Moor.
The exchange between the Sky Blues duo caused Alan Shearer to slate the Spaniard, as he admitted that he would not have been appreciated being berated like the 23-year-old did with the world watching.
Now, Sam Lee has given an insight into how Pep Guardiola feels about doing so, as he did with Erling Haaland.
“It’s all for show,” Roy Keane said, typically, about Guardiola’s on-pitch discussion with Haaland. Lots of people agree. But it’s very genuine and part of what makes Guardiola (and City) so good. It’s also something he doesn’t really like.”
Pep Guardiola aims to attain perfection at all times
One can assume why Pep Guardiola, at least in an ideal world would not like to have such an exchange with Erling Haaland after he bagged a brilliant brace and an assist in a game of the magnitude of the Manchester Derby.
But then again, the two-time treble-winning coach is known to have done so with players during the past due to the fact that he seems to constantly strive for perfection.
Be it Guardiola’s dressing-down of Kimmich after Der Klassiker in 2016 or the same with Sterling after the FA Cup final in 2019, he clearly aims to fine-tune all of his players’ strengths and weaknesses at all times.
However, this very trait is what has led to Pep Guardiola having the decorated career he has.
