Man City: Guardiola hits back with Grealish situation ‘not personal; claims CL finish is ‘like winning title’
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola could not hide his frustrations when asked about Jack Grealish after his side’s win against Fulham on the final day.
Grealish appears to be nearing the Man City exit door as he was left out of Guardiola’s squad for their final match of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign on Sunday afternoon.
Speaking pre-match, Guardiola refused to be drawn on the reason for his decision, issuing a blunt response to a question about the England international.
Injuries and poor form have hampered Grealish as he’s fallen in the Man City pecking order this season and has only made seven Premier League starts.
Grealish was not missed against Fulham as Ilkay Gundogan and Erling Haaland scored in Man City’s 2-0 win, which sealed them Champions League qualification.
Guardiola hit back at recent suggestions that he has something against Grealish, claiming it’s “not personal”.
“Don’t ask me about Jack. Who said I’m not happy with Jack? Rico [Lewis] was not selected, [James] McAtee was exceptional against Aston Villa and Wolves – why not ask me about McAtee? It’s not personal,” Guardiola said.
“I have 24 players, I had to get rid of six players last game and five players today because [Mateo] Kovacic got sent off. I treat Jack like I think of [Abdukodir] Khusanov, McAtee and all the players who have not been but you say I’m selecting we are in trouble? It’s not about that. I have 24 players, I have to get rid of five players because Kovacic was sent off in the last game.
“I’m thinking of Jack and Khusanov and McAtee. It’s nothing personal with Jack. I’m the person who fought for him to come here and the person who fought for him to stay here this season and the next season. I’m the one who said I want Jack Grealish.
“Now he didn’t come because he didn’t come, but not something else. What happens in the future is a job for Txiki [Begiristain], Hugo and the agents.”
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Guardiola has also explained why he thinks Man City qualifying for the Champions League is “like a title”.
“It’s like a title, [because of] the obstacles. When you continue [a run of poor form] you finish 10th, 11th, 12th or 13th,” Guardiola added.
“This is the destiny of all the teams in the Premier League when they are in November, December or January and you cannot fight for the Premier League, like you have done for many years.
“People can say ‘I don’t want to fight again, just to qualify for the Europa League’. We continued playing good and we were there [in position to seal Champions League qualification] and we did it.
“At the end we finished third, not miles away from Arsenal, but the distance to Liverpool is huge. We have to improve and hopefully we can do it.”
