The incident came during a match against Porto back in 2020 and saw Foden confront his boss.
Phil Foden has emerged as one of Manchester City’s most important players over the last few years. The Englishman has grown ever since he made his debut against Feyenoord back in 2017.
While he’s enjoyed a meteoric rise so far, Foden, who’s one of the best left-footed players to ever play in the country, according to Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, hasn’t had it his way all the time, though.
Pep Guardiola once decided to fine himself after an outburst aimed at the youngster during a game caused the City star to confront his manager. The incident occurred against FC Porto back in 2020 and was a result of a free-kick not being taken in the way that the Spaniard had originally instructed.
The former Barcelona head coach was that incensed, he decided to launch a tirade aimed at the Englishman, and it’s safe to say that Foden wasn’t happy about it at all, according to The Telegraph.
The Incident Between Guardiola and Foden
It caused Foden to confront his manager
The City youth graduate failed to execute a free-kick as instructed by Guardiola, and it saw the manager launch into a rant aimed at Foden. The Spaniard could be heard screaming:
“F****** hell Phil! F****** hell! You haven’t done what I said!”
The Englishman wasn’t happy at all with the way his boss had spoken to him, though, and after the game, he wasted no time confronting Guardiola. Waiting by the dressing room after the game, Foden blasted his boss, saying:
“Don’t ever do that to me again! You wouldn’t do that to other players.”
According to The Telegraph, Guardiola recognised Foden’s courage and personality in standing up for himself. He promptly apologised to the winger and even addressed the incident with the entire squad the following day, expressing regret for his behaviour.
Guardiola had apparently been encouraging the youngster to stand up for himself for a couple of years, so the move actually impressed him, and he saw it as the now-23 year old’s official transition from boy to man. Guardiola even went one further and paid a self-imposed fine for the incident. You don’t see that very often.
How Guardiola has influenced Foden’s career
The Englishman has excelled under the Spaniard
Taking charge of Man City in 2016, Guardiola has been Foden’s manager throughout his entire career, and the Spaniard’s influence on his career has been stressed numerous times over the years.
The Englishman was eased into the City team, with playing time initially hard to come by, but the patient approach to his introduction to the squad has been praised by many, with the star’s incredible performances over the last few years largely looked as a result of the way he was brought into the side.
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