Angry Pep Guardiola reminds Patrice Evra his Barca side ‘destroyed’ Man United in 2011

Patrice Evra made headlines yesterday when he took aim at Pep Guardiola and Manchester City.

The Frenchman criticised the Spaniard and his side for lacking character after crashing out of the Champions League against Real Madrid last week.

City won a pulsating first leg 4-3 at the Etihad Stadium and looked set for the final when Riyad Mahrez scored in the 75th minute at the Santiago Bernabeu. However, what happened next shocked the footballing world.

Guardiola’s side collapsed, conceding three goals in just six minutes on either side of extra time.

Rodrygo grabbed a brace in the dying embers to force the match to extra time, and Madrid’s talisman Karim Benzema scored the winner moments after the restart.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side will face Liverpool in the final, and Guardiola’s side will be kicking themselves.

Evra fires shots at Guardiola

As if that wasn’t enough, former Manchester United defender Evra also laid into the Citizens.

Speaking to Prime Video, the Frenchman said: “Manchester City needs leaders, but Guardiola doesn’t want leaders. He doesn’t want personality. He’s the leader. That’s why when they’re in trouble, they don’t want to. They don’t have anyone on the pitch to help them.

“He chooses his teams like that – he can’t train people with personality. He did it at Barcelona, but he builds his teams to control everyone. When things go wrong, he always decides.”

What has Pep Guardiola said in response?

Pep Guardiola has now hit back at claims made by Patrice Evra. He backed his players and suggested that the former Manchester United left-back was making such remarks to impress his former employers.

He said: “I don’t want personality? Well, I don’t agree, Patrice! I don’t play, I need personalities and good players to play on the pitch.

Guardiola continued: “I have had nice, incredible players in my past as a manager at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and here. I could give a good list in terms of their personality and character.

“Most of them have won World Cups, European [Championships], Champions Leagues and leagues. Maybe Evra is right or maybe he’s doing a good quote to come back to Manchester United to work there. Maybe there’s a good chance now.”

Despite being eliminated from the Champions League, City blew away Newcastle 5-0 on Sunday. Victory against Wolves would extend their lead over Liverpool to three points. Guardiola’s side top the Premier League table with just three games to play.

Further Guardiola follow-up

The Evra comments clearly bothered Guardiola because he brought them up again after City dismantled Wolves 5-1 at Molineux.

His retort was aimed at Evra as well as Dimitar Berbatov and Clarence Seedorf. In particular, though, his comments were targeted at the former United men, with Guardiola reminding them about his Barca side ‘destroying’ them in 2011.

Guardiola said: “The same character and personality that lost in Madrid is what we have had for the last years. Specialist former players like [Dimitar] Berbatov, Seedorf and Evra and these types of people weren’t there.

“I’ve played against them, and I didn’t see this kind of personality when we destroyed United in the Champions League final.

“Personality is what we have done in the last five years every three days in all competitions. Maybe Liverpool is going to win all four titles or maybe just one but I’m going to say that they don’t have personality and character.

“What you say they didn’t do an incredible season even when they lost the league by one or two points to us? We arrive until the end playing good because otherwise, you don’t arrive. This is the most important thing.”

Featured image credit: Getty