Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has issued a stinging response to pundit Jamie Carragher after he accused Erling Haaland of skipping their clash with Real Madrid
Pep Guardiola has been left sickened by Jamie Carragher’s suggestion that Erling Haaland faked injury to avoid facing Real Madrid bruiser Antonio Rudiger.
Manchester City ’s talismanic striker is a doubt for the clash with Liverpool at the Etihad after missing the Champions League defeat at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night with a knee problem sustained against Newcastle last weekend.
Carragher, the former Kop defender who is now a TV pundit, controversially claimed that Haaland was running scared of Rudiger in his role working as an expert for CBS Sports.
That has drawn an angry response from Guardiola in which the Catalan struggled to contain his shock. Guardiola said: “Oh, God. Did he say that? Jamie Carragher said that? Oh God.
“Don’t laugh. I don’t know why he makes that so suspicious. Did he say that Haaland didn’t want to play the game?
“It’s not nice – and it’s not true. He (Haaland) was crazy to play the game. He had a problem with his knee and he could not play.”
Carragher claimed that Haaland had developed an aversion to Rudiger after a series of physical battles with the hardman German when City travelled to Spain for a second-leg tie that saw them beaten 3-1 to exit the competition 6-3 on aggregate.
Carragher said: “So let me work this out. Haaland has gone to the manager this morning and said he’s not fit? Do you think that has got something to do with Rudiger? Is that because Rudiger is playing?
“He’s on the bench so he can’t be injured. Is it Rudiger-itis? Is that what we’re saying here?”
Guardiola kept his cards close to his chest in regards to Haaland’s availability for this weekend, revealing a decision would be left as late as possible.
Asked on Friday, he said: “Don’t know yet. Tomorrow we will know it but I don’t know. It’s better to have Erling on the pitch but obviously, we don’t have it but of course with Erling we are stronger.”
John Stones could be facing a more lengthy spell on the sidelines, with Guardiola admitted that the defender could require surgery. “He’s injured, a difficult one,” Guardiola said of Stones. “Next hours, days we’ll know if he needs surgery or not.”
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