Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola did not know Fernandinho planned to leave the club this summer until he was told by the media on Tuesday.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final against Atletico Madrid, Fernandinho was asked if he would like to extend his stay at the Etihad Stadium for one more year.
The 36-year-old issued a blunt response: “I don’t think so.”
After nine seasons with City, it seems the former Brazil international is keen to return to his home country.
“Yes, I will go back to Brazil for sure,” he added, per the Daily Mail. “I decided with my family and that is most important for me.”
Shortly afterwards, Guardiola was asked how disappointed he was by Fernandinho’s decision.
But the City boss had no idea what his midfielder had just revealed. In fact, it seems he had no idea that Fernandinho was planning on leaving.
After getting the reporter to repeat the question, a visibly shocked Guardiola said: “Oh. I didn’t know. You give me the news. I didn’t hear it.”
“We will see what happens at the end of the season. I don’t know what is going to happen. Fernandinho, I’ve said so many times, is so important to me. I will talk to him.”
Guardiola said that perhaps other people at City knew about Fernandinho’s decision but he wasn’t one of them. He added: “Maybe Txiki [Begiristain] knows and didn’t tell me.
Watch below as Guardiola himself admitted this was news to him, showing his surprise with an amusing reaction…
Pep Guardiola’s reaction to finding out Fernandinho is leaving the club at the end of the season. 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/YCcq5tvPzR
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) April 12, 2022
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