In a gesture of regret, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola issues a public apology to Kalvin Phillips for his previous comments regarding the midfielder’s weight.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed regret over his previous remarks regarding Kalvin Phillips’ weight following the midfielder’s return from the Qatar World Cup.
In December 2022, Guardiola cited Phillips’ weight as the reason for his exclusion from the squad during a Carabao Cup match against Liverpool. Phillips, who recently joined West Ham on loan, admitted that Guardiola’s comments had a significant impact on his confidence.
Guardiola, acknowledging his error, issued an apology to Phillips, stating, “I’m sorry.” He clarified that he had already spoken with the 28-year-old regarding the matter after his return from a brief post-World Cup break, emphasizing his usual practice of addressing such issues directly with the player before discussing them publicly.
“I did speak about that,” added the City boss. “I never before said something here [to the media] without speaking to the player.”
Phillips has encountered challenges during his loan tenure at West Ham. In his debut, he inadvertently conceded a goal to Bournemouth, followed by another mistake leading to a goal against Manchester United.
Additionally, he received two yellow cards within minutes during a recent match against Nottingham Forest, resulting in his dismissal as West Ham suffered a 2-0 defeat.
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