Pep Guardiola apologises to Steven Gerrard over slip comments

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has issued an apology to Steven Gerrard for poking fun at the former Liverpool midfielder’s infamous slip.

Facing questions over whether City’s Premier League title triumphs should be taken away from them in the wake of the Premier League’s accusations of financial rule-breaking, Guardiola laughed that some of the famous title-deciding moments will always belong to City.

The boss said: “The goal from Sergio Aguero [in 2012 against QPR], when [Mario] Balotelli slipped. I don’t know if we are responsible for Steven Gerrard slipping at Anfield [in 2014 against Chelsea]. Was that our fault? I have respect for Steven Gerrard – but that moment belongs to us.”

Having cooled down over the following days, Guardiola has now issued an apology.

“I apologise to Steven Gerrard for my unnecessary and stupid comments I said the last time about him,” Guardiola said. “He knows how I admire him and his career, what he has done for this country that I am living and training in.

“I am ashamed of myself, what I said because he doesn’t deserve it. I truly believe my comments in my previous press conference to defend my club but I didn’t represent my club well putting his name in these stupid comments.

“I apologise and I said to him personally but I have to do it here as well. I’m so sorry for him, for Alex, his wife, kids and family because it was stupid.”

90min understands that City are confident of disproving the allegations against them, having previously done so when accused by UEFA in 2020.