Pep Guardiola once fined himself after a comment he made to Phil Foden

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola once fined himself over a comment he made to Phil Foden.

Guardiola is well known for being incredibly demanding of his players and constantly instructing them - even with things going well for City.

The Catalan is the definition of a perfectionist and is always looking for the smallest of details to make the difference.

A few seasons back in the 2020/21 season, Guardiola took issue with a free-kick taken by Foden against Porto in the Champions League.

It came late in the game and on the touchline, Guardiola screamed at the England international for not following his instruction.

As per James Ducker from The Telegraph, Guardiola shouted: F****** hell Phil! F****** hell! You haven't done what I said!"

The x-rated remark did not go down well with Foden, who felt Guardiola was guilty of double standards. Said to be "furious" by his manager calling him out, he rushed down the tunnel and got changed in the dressing before many of his teammates had returned.

When Guardiola arrived back, Foden was waiting for him at the door and let rip. He told his manager, "Don’t ever do that to me again! You wouldn’t do that to other players.”

Image: Getty

Guardiola apologised to the midfielder at the time but felt he needed to go further. The following day, a second apology was issued in a meeting with the whole team and Guardiola made the decision to fine himself.

The money went straight into the players' kitty in a gesture that was appreciated by the group. And Guardiola also admired the fact that Foden stood up for himself and had been wanting him to do so for a while.

It's claimed the moment was a turning point on Foden's City career and was seen as a key step in him transitioning from a boy to a man.

Image: Getty

Foden has won two PFA Young Player of the Year awards and five Premier League titles but the upcoming campaign could be a significant one, as he could well move into a central role.

“It’s a role where there’s a lot more to my game,” the 23-year-old said when asked about playing more regularly in the position.

“I’d be able to show people a lot more of what I can do. I’d be on the ball more, always involved. I think there’s a lot more responsibility in that role.”

Topics: Manchester City, Pep Guardiola, Phil Foden, Premier League

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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