City boss Pep Guardiola apologises to Kalvin Phillips for ‘overweight’ comment
Kalvin Phillips joined West Ham on loan from Manchester City in January (Mike Egerton/PA)
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has apologised to Kalvin Phillips for saying publicly that he had returned from the Qatar World Cup overweight.
Guardiola made the comment in a press conference in December 2022 having left the City and England midfielder out of a Carabao Cup tie against Liverpool.
Phillips, who joined West Ham on loan in January, earlier this month told the Observer that “after the World Cup was probably the toughest, when Pep came out and said I was overweight”, adding: “I did not disagree with him but obviously I took a big knock on my confidence and how I felt at City.”
Pep Guardiola commented on Phillips’ weight in a press conference in December 2022 (Nick Potts/PA)
Guardiola was asked at a press conference on Monday if he regretted going public about Phillips’ weight, and he said: “Yeah, I’m sorry.
“Once in eight years is not bad. But I’m so sorry. I apologise to him. I do apologise. I’m sorry.”
Phillips said there had been a misunderstanding as to when he was expected to report back and that rather than speaking to Guardiola about that, he “just took it on the chin”.
Guardiola emphasised that he had spoken to Phillips before making the public comment about his weight, saying: “I never, never before I said something here did not speak with the players in that case.”
The manager was talking ahead of Tuesday’s Premier League home clash with Brentford, who City came from behind to beat 3-1 at the Gtech Community Stadium on February 5.
City’s win at Brentford on February 5 saw Kyle Walker (left) react angrily to something Neal Maupay (right) had said (Adam Davy/PA)
That match saw City defender Kyle Walker respond
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