Manchester City’s hard-fought 2–1 victory over Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League was overshadowed briefly after full time when Pep Guardiola appeared visibly irritated by a cameraman who placed his camera inches from the City manager’s face. The moment occurred seconds after the final whistle, just as Guardiola was preparing to greet his staff and players on the touchline.
Guardiola, who is known for his calm composure and respect for post-match etiquette, was seen gesturing in frustration as the camera obstructed his path.
The incident came at the end of an intense match in which Manchester City showed resilience and tactical sharpness to edge out Real Madrid. Goals from City ensured a crucial win in their Champions League campaign, with Guardiola’s side maintaining control for large phases of the game despite late pressure from the Spanish giants.
While the victory was significant, the awkward post-match moment highlighted growing concerns about how close broadcast crews sometimes get to managers and players in the high-pressure seconds following a major match. Guardiola continued with his routine shortly afterward, congratulating players and acknowledging fans, but the expression on his face made it clear that the intrusion had crossed a line.
For Manchester City, the focus now shifts to the next stage of their Champions League journey, but the brief flare-up served as a reminder that even in triumph, boundaries must be respected.
Video: Manchester City's Manager Pep Guardiola Loses Cool At Referee After Full Time In Club World Cup Match 2025 vs Al-Hilal
Manchester City's manager Pep Guardiola confronted the match referee by storming onto the ground after the Club World Cup 2025 match against Al-Hilal at the Camping World Stadium in Florida. In a video surfaced on social media, Guardiola was seen having a heated interaction with the referee over not giving a foul against Al-Hilal.
The moment occurred after full time as Guardiola was infuriated at not giving a foul to the opposition for seemingly committing a foul before the game ended. Nevertheless, the referee blew the whistle without giving Doku a foul before the regulation time as the scoreline stood 2-2 after full time.
Watch the video here:
The extra time saw Al-Hilal pip Manchester City by 4-3, dumping the latter out of the tournament.
"I cannot thank the players enough for training and playing how they have been" - Pep Guardiola
Speaking after the 4-3 defeat, Guardiola expressed his disappointment, claiming that they would have loved to continue but admitted it's time to rest their minds and prepare for a new season. The 54-year-old stated, as quoted by independent.co.uk:
"It is a pity. We have been on incredible journey together and were in a good place. The vibe was really good. I cannot thank the players enough for training and playing how they have been. We would have loved to have continued, it will only be once every four years, and we had a feeling that the team was doing well. But we go home and now it is time to rest and rest our minds for the new season.
