Pep Guardiola issues apology to out-of-favour Man City star over lack of playing time – as he insists it’s ‘nothing personal’ and admits they ‘deserve’ to have more minutes on the pitch’
Pep Guardiola has issued a public apology to one of his players over a lack of playing time this season, admitting that he ‘deserves’ more minutes on the pitch.
Manchester City boast one of the deepest squads in Europe, meaning that players are never guaranteed regular action – even if they are attributed with a hefty price tag.
The player in question has fallen victim to City’s strength in numbers, starting only 12 games and registering just 1,198 minutes this term.
A winger by trade, he has seen Guardiola opt for more youthful options in recent times, with electrifying talents Jeremy Doku and Savinho often getting the nod.
And despite his £100million price tag, Jack Grealish is spending much of his time on the sidelines as of late – something Guardiola feels is an injustice given the player’s vast ability.
‘I’m very sorry that he doesn’t get the minutes he might have deserved,’ the City manager said.
Jack Grealish has fallen out of favour at Man City, with Savinho and Jeremy Doku preferred
Grealish, who signed for City for £100million in 2021, has managed just 12 starts this season
Pep Guardiola has apologised to Grealish for his lack of game time throughout this term
‘But ultimately, the contributions of Jeremy (Doku) or Savinho this season have been enormous, that’s the only reason for it.
‘It’s nothing personal, or I don’t like Jack or don’t have confidence in him.’
Grealish has fallen out of favour at Man City since the summer arrival of Brazilian star Savinho, who previously tore up LaLiga during Girona’s stunning 2023/24 season – which saw the club earn Champions League football for the first time in their history.
While Savinho’s output hasn’t been particularly remarkable when consulting the stats – scoring just once and assisting six in 19 games – it’s his work in the build-up and defensive efforts that have stood out to Guardiola, often using his skill and pace to break the lines and fashion opportunities.
At just 20 years of age, Guardiola seems happy to invest game time in Savinho, seeing the sky as the limit for the winger.
However, this has come at the expense of Grealish, now 29, who would expect regular minutes at this stage of his career.
Guardiola remains aware of the threat that Grealish can pose, but has shown no signs of bringing him back into the starting fold ahead of Savinho.
‘If you give one player more minutes than another, you obviously have more trust than him,’ Guardiola added. ‘But I know his qualities, it’s just about the impact Savinho has.
Savinho quickly won Guardiola over following his £30m arrival from Girona in the summer
Guardiola is happy to invest minutes in the 20-year-old winger to bring the best out of him
‘It’s (Savinho’s) first season, his influence in goals and assists brought an incredible improvement in defense and in tackles in the last game at Arsenal. And that’s the reason for it.’
Grealish has made 148 appearances for Man City since his summer arrival back in 2021 – but in a similar vein the Savinho, his output has drawn criticsm.
The Englishman has netted just 16 goals and provided 23 assists during his near four-year stint at the Etihad – a record that many fans do not think comes close to reflecting his price tag.
