Furious Pep handed ban
Omar Marmoush leads the charge
PEP Guardiola has earned a two-match ban after a sixth yellow card of the season – but it will not apply for the Carabao Cup final.
The City manager will be free to be in the dugout at Wembley because the suspension only applies to Premier League and FA Cup games.
That means Guardiola will be forced to watch from the stands for the Premier League match at West Ham next Saturday, as well as the FA Cup quarter-final in the first weekend of April.
The draw for that will take place tomorrow, with Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool having already booked their place.
However, to City’s relief, Guardiola will not be banned for the League Cup final with Arsenal, despite that taking place before the FA Cup game.
Guardiola joked that he would go on holiday for the games he is not allowed to be in the dugout for after raging again at Newcastle in City’s 3-1 win in the FA Cup.
The Blues boss was furious with referee Sam Barrott in the Premier League defeat at St James’ Park in November and lost his temper after Jeremy Doku was denied a foul in the second-half of the game.
“When Jeremy Doku dribbles Trippier and goes alone to the box and is being pulled form behind, I’m not asking for a yellow card but please – it’s a foul,” he said. “I will defend my team.
“We have all the records in this country – all of them. Despite everything, we have all of them. And we have the record of the manager with the most yellow cards.
“I have always wanted this record and now I have it. Two game banned – now and I will go on holidays.”
As the next question started, Guardiola continued: “Oh my god. Oh. My. God. There are things that still after 10 years I cannot understand.
“Review the action, review the action.
“Of course I’m going to defend Doku, and all my teams. They continue to do it.”