Pep Guardiola on mission to improve his behaviour after new Premier League rule made him miss Man City’s loss to Wolves
PEP GUARDIOLA claims he is on a mission to improve his touchline behaviour in a bid to avoid another ban.
The Manchester City boss was forced to watch Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Wolves from the stands after picking up three yellow cards this season.
The Premier League have reduced their threshold for a ban from four cautions in a bid to deter abuse against the officials.
So if Guardiola gets another three yellow cards, he will be banned for two matches from the touchline.
He said: “It’s a new rule. They explained to us that sometimes, we do not speak to them correctly. They are the bosses. We have to accept it. I have to adapt to them.
“If I saw a few things I didn’t like I would say it. Now, I have to control it.
“It’s not a big issue. It’s not a problem.
“They made the rules. When I was a player at Barcelona I was the least physical player ever but maybe I was one of the most booked players in Barcelona.
“It was because I talked and talked and talked. Now, as a manager, it is the same.”
Guardiola, whose team delivered a poor performance at Wolves, admitted he did not like to be sat in the stands next to City director of football Txiki Begiristain and Manel Estiarte, head of player support.
Guardiola said: “I like to be with the players and have the smell of the grass. Txiki and Manel were so nice but I prefer to be down there.
“Next time it is a two-game ban. I was the first to be banned so that’s a new record.”
As for the loss at Wolves, City’s first of the season in the League, he said: “We have to do more. They beat us in the one v ones and that’s not good and we have to do it properly.”