Pep Guardiola’s body language suggests he might not have a future at Man City (Image: Getty)
Pep Guardiola’s time at Manchester City may be on the verge of an abrupt end, according to a body language expert. The expert noticed several “red flags” in the Spaniard’s behaviour on Tuesday. Guardiola is amid a crisis he’s never faced in his professional life.
After losing an unprecedented five games on the bounce, his City side drew 3-3 with Feyenoord in the Champions League despite leading 3-0 with 15 minutes to go. It was the first time in competition history that a team failed to clinch victory after leading by three or more goals with a quarter of an hour left on the clock – and it happened to one of the tournament favourites.
During his post-match press conference, Guardiola cut something of a distressed figure, and body language specialist Darren Stanton claimed the 53-year-old looked like “a broken man”. Speaking to OLBG, he said: “There are around 20 red flags in his behaviour. There are combinations of anger, frustration and devastation.
“These are normal things to expect from someone in his situation, but he’s had disappointment before and not been as animated as he was against Feyenoord. He buries his head in his hands, and it’s the opposite of a power stance, which would be hands on his hips and feet spread apart.
“He’s almost in a foetal position and trying to curl up in a ball, it’s like he just wants the current situation that he’s found himself in to end. He wants it to be over. He’s going through purgatory, and I think these are the most extreme gestures that we’ve seen him make.”
Guardiola signed a two-year contract extension at the Etihad Stadium earlier this month, supposedly ending weeks of speculation about his future. But Stanton says his behaviour on Tuesday indicates a desire to leave the club.
Guardiola’s side have now gone six games without a win (Image: Getty)
“I really believe he feels like he’s not going to be around at Manchester City for long,” he added. “He’s dejected, he’s disappointed, he’s angry, when players are mentioned he turns his face away, which suggests that they are going to be in for a rollicking.”
Concerningly for City fans, Stanton also claimed that Guardiola was acting like a man who didn’t know how to fix the problems he’s facing. “[Guardiola] is absolutely at the end of his patience,” he continued. “He is touching his head, shrugging his shoulders and doing hand-to-mouth gestures.
“He flashes a fake smile and keeps talking about what his team already has rather than what needs to change. I think he has no idea how he’s going to turn things around. Non-verbally, he is saying that they have no issues, which means he cannot work out a strategy going forward which will end this run of form.”
Guardiola had a small cut on his nose during his post-match press conference (Image: TNT Sports)
A small cut was spotted on Guardiola’s nose, as well as what appeared to be scratch marks on the top of his head after the game. When asked about the former, the ex-Barcelona coach admitted he’d scratched himself before ill-advisedly joking: “I want to harm myself”.
According to Stanton, his sarcastic response was used as a “deflection” tactic, while the scratches demonstrate “extreme anguish”. He said: “When asked about his cuts, he offers a sarcastic response, and that is used as a deflection. The fact he has scratched himself is showing extreme anguish, and I think it’s because he thinks that he is doing everything right, but it hasn’t worked.”
On Wednesday, Guardiola released a statement on social media explaining how the cut on his nose came about and apologising to anyone who took offence to his joke. “I was caught off guard with a question at the end of a press conference last night about a scratch that had appeared on my face, and he explained that a sharp fingernail had accidentally caused this,” he wrote.
“My answer was in no way intended to make light of the very serious issue of self-harm. I know that many people struggle with mental health issues every day, and I would like to take this moment to highlight one of the ways in people can seek help, by calling the Samaritans hotline on 116 123 or emailing jo@samaritans.org.”
Over the course of his managerial career, which includes stints at City, Barcelona, Barcelona B and Bayern Munch, Guardiola has averaged a 72.29 per cent win percentage. This means that, on average, his team loses roughly once every eight matches.
City’s current run of form represents not only his worst-ever as manager, but also City’s worst in 18 years. They’re also the first reigning top-flight champions to lose five games on the bounce since Chelsea achieved the unwanted feat in 1956.
Things could be about to get worse too. Their next game is arguably their toughest test of the season: an away trip to Liverpool. Defeat there would leave them 11 points adrift in the title race and could even knock them out of the top four, and, if Stanton’s assessments are to be believed, might just spell the end for Guardiola’s titanic reign in Manchester.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1981527/pep-guardiola-man-city-champions-league-sporting-tbk