Pep Guardiola has insisted he had no problem with Kevin De Bruyne telling him to “shut up” during Manchester City ’s win over Real Madrid.
De Bruyne was caught on camera shouting back at Guardiola after the City manager instructed him from the sidelines to “pass the ball”. That incident came during City’s hugely impressive 4-0 win over Real in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday night.
The clip of the exchange went viral on social media, with some speculating there might be a problem between the Man City manager and his star playmaker. But, speaking before City’s match against Chelsea on Sunday when they can secure the Premier League title, Guardiola explained why he encourages De Bruyne to be vocal on the pitch.
"The action with Kevin, I love it,” he said. “We shout at each other. I like it. Sometimes it's a little bit flat, I like this energy.
“It's not the first time, you don't see, but he shouts at me in training. This is what we need. After that he becomes the best. [Ilkay] Gundo[gan] lost the ball, Kevin too, we didn't need that in the game. At half-time, I spoke about controlling the game, drop them and turn them. We didn't do it.
“Kevin stays calm and makes an incredible assist. Jack [Grealish] did the opposite, he could run but helps the team and joins the passes. It's football, we can do it. These things must happen to be competitive."
De Bruyne scored City’s equaliser in the first leg at the Bernabeu and was exceptional once again in the second leg, providing the assists for Bernardo Silva’s opening goal and for Eder Militao’s own goal.
Silva scored the opening two goals, with a powerful near-post finish and a delicate header from a rebound. Militao’s own goal and Julian Alvarez’s measured finish when one-on-one with Thibaut Courtois made sure City will be playing Inter Milan in the final in Istanbul.
After the game, Guardiola gave a similar explanation to the clash with De Bruyne. "At 2-0 we rushed a lot,” he said. “Right after the break Gundogan lost a ball, Kevin made three transitions that weren’t necessary and we rushed a lot when we had to do the opposite, sink them and turn them, sink them and turn them.
"But it’s normal. It gets close, you rush, and it has cost us more, although in general we have had an extraordinary game."
City host Chelsea on Sunday in the Premier League, when they can lift the trophy, before the FA Cup final against Manchester United on June 3 and the Champions League final on June 10.
