That was the fiery response from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola as he defended his team selection for the 3-0 loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League ahead of facing West Ham on Saturday. "I said to you after the press conference in Madrid, there are logical reasons for that [team selection]. "Listen, I played a final in the Champions League without Fernandinho as a holding midfielder against Chelsea. How many times have I said 'Pep is a genius for the team selection?' Only Aston Villa managed to pick up a win of the nine Premier League clubs competing across the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.

Source: Sky sports March 14, 2026 04:14 UTC