Guardiola’s anger with Arsenal is thought to come from the role they played in the group of eight Premier League clubs perceived to have turned on City during their successful appeal against a two-year Champions league ban. The group wrote to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), to try to ensure any attempt by City to delay their two-year ban while their appeal was ongoing was dismissed.
According to the Telegraph, Guardiola believes Arsenal were ‘prime movers’ behind a joint letter signed by eight Premier League clubs sent to the Court of Arbitration for Sport earlier this year.
Guardiola is said to feel that Arsenal were the ‘ringleaders’ in this regard and he was unhappy with the aggressive nature with which the Gunners opposed City’s appeal, which they won.
The citizens were knocked out of the FA Cup at the semi-final stage by Arsenal on Saturday as the Gunners won 2-0 at Wembley.
The Spaniard was impressed by Arsenal’s play under his former assistant Mikel Arteta, but he made a distinction in his thoughts about the north London club when it comes to their approach away from the pitch.
He told reporters, “The opponents always deserve my respect and credit and Arsenal, they have it. “I have all the respect for what Arsenal are on the pitch — not much off the pitch, but on the pitch a lot. So, I congratulate them and good luck against Chelsea in the final.”
Saturday’s defeat to Arsenal shifts all the focus to the Champions League round-of-16 against Real Madrid, with the final Premier League games against Watford and Norwich having no impact on their guaranteed second-place finish.
City lead 2-1 from the first leg in Spain and Guardiola says his side will need to improve on their FA Cup defeat if they are to get past the new La Liga champions to make the end-of-season tournament in Portugal. “Against Madrid we know we have to do good games, all the cups are one game and we did a good performance but [against Arsenal] we were not good enough, that’s all. It can happen and you move forward, it’s forgotten, When I lose this excitement and fire in me after victory and defeat, it will be a problem.” he said.
