Fernandinho has moved to clarify his position after saying he expects to leave Manchester City in the summer.
The City captain is out of contract in June, and told reporters on Tuesday that he expects to leave when his deal expires. He confirmed he wants to play regularly, and said he will return to Brazil, citing the importance of his family in his decision.
Moments later, when Pep Guardiola was asked for his reaction to Fernandinho's revelation, the manager looked genuinely surprised at the news and said he was unaware a decision had been made. An hour later, Fernandinho took to social media to clarify his position — and potentially cast doubt on his future again.
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In a statement, Fernandinho posted: "I was 100 per cent honest and spontaneous in answering that question at today's press conference. But anyone who knows me also knows that my greatest honesty is with Man City and my duties as team captain.
"My focus is 100 per cent on winning all the titles we are playing for and I will only talk about my future at the end of the season. Let’s keep pushing!"
In the press conference, Fernandinho had said he did not expect to stay at the club next season, before adding: "I want to play. I will go back to Brazil. I decided with my family, which is the most important thing for me. It is the same as last season. I'm not playing much but I take care of other players and try to help wherever I can — on or off the pitch."
When asked about the news by an MEN reporter, Guardiola said: "I didn’t know it. You gave me the news. We will see what will happen at the end of the season. I said many times we will see what happens."
"I said at the end of the season we will talk. Maybe it is a family decision, maybe he wants more minutes. I would love to be with him.
"He is always, from day one, an incredible football player for Manchester City — the trophies and the minutes. And there are things that nobody knows but I know.
"Maybe Txiki [Begiristain] knows it and didn’t tell me, I don’t know it is a surprise for me, I say to him what happened but I know his intentions and another player would do it for his benefit. Knowing Fern, it will not, it happens.
"I want the happiness of my players and absolutely we are going to play tomorrow for him and give him the best farewell moment, reaching again the semi-finals of the Champions League and try to go through again.
"I understand the players want to play, it is completely understandable. Not just because he is 35, 36 look what happened with Ferran Torres — he wanted to play.
"I understand go back to Brazil, with the father, mother there and I am pretty sure the club is going to help him do what he wants."
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