Pep Guardiola says he is sorry for his confrontation with a cameraman following Manchester City’s Premier League defeat at Newcastle on Saturday.
City felt they were on the wrong end of a penalty call, a handball shout and a tight offside decision in the 2-1 loss at St James’ Park, which left Guardiola furious at full-time.
The Spaniard marched onto the pitch at the end, speaking with referee Sam Barrott, while he also pulled the headphones off of a cameraman to say something into his ear.
“I apologised,” Guardiola said of the incident but did not reveal what was said. “I feel embarrassed, ashamed when I see it. I don’t like it. I apologised after one second to the cameraman. I am who I am.
“After 1,000 games I’m not a perfect person, I make huge mistakes. The reason why is I want to defend my team and my club.”
There were flare-ups involving the players too, with City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma being ushered down the tunnel and Magpies midfielder Joelinton being held back by his manager Eddie Howe, while Guardiola also had words to say to Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes.
Guardiola added: “We have known Bruno for many, many years and every time after the game, even at the Etihad, we talk in the tunnel or wherever we talk, always. I don’t know what happened.
“Our paths always cross and I always have a good relationship with him. I love it. I’m an emotional guy, I love to talk and move my hands and my arms and everything.”
Guardiola, however, hinted he may have more to say about the officiating against Newcastle, but he wanted to get Tuesday’s Champions League fixture with Bayer Leverkusen out of the way first.
“The referee was involved,” he said. “For 95 minutes, 98 minutes, he was involved. My God, he was involved. On Friday, we talk.”
City had complained that goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma had been fouled in the build-up to Barnes’ decisive strike in the Newcastle’s 2-1 win.
Saturday’s defeat was their fourth in the Premier League this term, but they have made a strong start in the Champions League.
City sit fourth in the league phase table with 10 points heading into the fifth round of games.
