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Pep Guardiola welcomed Erling Haaland’s fury at Manchester City’s dramatic draw in Monaco but the manager claimed that he likes to keep any misgivings about the team’s performances private.
Haaland could barely conceal disgust, describing himself as ‘p***** off’ after Eric Dier’s stoppage-time penalty prevented City from maintaining a 100 per cent record in the Champions League.
The striker – who lamented his own inability to add a third goal when the visitors were 2-1 up – added that the second-half display was ‘not good enough’.
Haaland had scored twice earlier in the tie to take his tally for the season to 17 for club and country.
The 25-year-old is part of City’s four-man leadership group and asked if his displeasure was the correct message to send as a captain, Guardiola replied: ‘Of course. I like when they are like this.
‘My feelings about the team when it’s bad… in front of you I don’t like to express it. I like to have it to myself, my players, in the basement. I like to share it there.’
Pep Guardiola has told Erling Haaland he would like him to keep his fury aimed at the Manchester City team private
Haaland said he was 'p***** off' after City conceded a last minute equaliser at Monaco
Haaland also complained that City had lacked energy in midweek after they were unable to see out a first European away victory in 12 months.
Rodri came off on the hour, replaced by Nico Gonzalez – who was unfortunate to concede the penalty – and Guardiola predicted that his fulcrum will not return to his best until the World Cup next summer.
City will need to carefully manage the defensive midfielder’s game time after he complained of his knee being in a ‘bad, bad, bad condition’ before last weekend’s win over Burnley. The 29-year-old also suffered an injury setback at the Club World Cup.
‘Rodri has been and is an outstanding player,’ Guardiola emphasised. ‘Everybody knows it. But I said to Rodri, and maybe he struggled to understand: it’s not about six months or seven months. Ah, [after] eight months I’ll play and be the Rodri of before. No.
‘Rodri will be good at the World Cup with Spain. In the World Cup will be the best Rodri and next season will be the best Rodri. This season will be how we handle it, step by step.
‘It’s normal, it was one year in the massage table. The body changes, the rhythm changes. It’s a question of time. If he’s healthy and works with what he has to do, he will be back.’
Gonzalez will see his minute increase and Guardiola praised the youngster’s ability to take on instructions and has seen improvement in his understanding of the role since joining from Porto for £50million in January.
Guardiola was seen giving Gonzalez a lengthy debrief after a recent Carabao Cup win at Huddersfield Town, indicating how he wants the Spaniard to alter his game.
Guardiola has also spoken about managing Rodri's gametime as he goes from strength to strength
‘It was about how to move into the right spots as a holding midfielder, to find [team-mates] more and [control] the transitions,’ Guardiola added.
‘To be more free to have more courage to play, to break lines. Against Burnley he was much, much better but of course he can do better. He is so young.
‘Rodri has been with us seven years. Rodri – in the first season – struggled. It’s normal. Nico is not even one year and in a tough period. There are many things that step by step he is going to take, because he is open-minded and incredibly coachable. Not all the players are. He is and he will get it.’
