Pep Guardiola kicks out at drinks cooler on night of high tension for Man City in Champions League

By Canadian Press on January 29, 2025.

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Pep Guardiola kicked out at a drinks cooler in a moment of unbridled relief as Manchester City avoided a stunning early exit from the Champions League on Wednesday.

Guardiola could not contain his emotions on a night of high drama at the Etihad Stadium — being shown a yellow card for his over-exuberance on the touchline and switching from ballboy to cheerleader as he lived every moment of a thrilling 3-1 victory over Brugge.

In a must-win game for the 2023 champion, City fell behind 1-0 just before halftime but came back after the break to secure the lifeline of a playoff.

Guardiola’s team is not yet into the round of 16 and faces a daunting two-legged tie against either defending champion Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.

But it was a case of mission completed as the league phase of the revamped Champions League reached its conclusion and City climbed to 22nd in the 36-team standings.

Guardiola’s nerves were clear to see as he fidgeted and gesticulated on the sideline — holding his head in his hands at times and at others waving his arms in the air in an attempt hype up the home crowd. And when Brugge’s Joel Ordonez turned the ball into his own net in the 62nd minute, Guardiola let it all out — launching a boot at the drinks cooler as he celebrated.

It was all in contrast to the dejection on his face as he slumped in his seat when Raphael Onyedika had fired Brugge in front.

Guardiola is known for showing his emotions during games and that has been even more evident in a troubled season for his four-time defending Premier League champion.

In a 3-3 draw with Feyenoord in November — when his team relinquished a 3-0 lead — he ended the match with cuts across his head and nose due to scratching himself.

He joked at the time that he wanted to “I want to harm myself,” and later had to clarify his comments, saying he “in no way intended to make light of the very serious issue of self-harm.”

City was always favorite to beat Brugge. But in a season when Guardiola’s team picked up only one victory in 13 games from October to December, including nine losses, nothing could be taken for granted.

And when Brugge went ahead, a stunned Etihad must have feared the worse. But a night that began with a fire erupting from a merchandise stall outside the stadium ended in a celebration inside at the final whistle.

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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

James Robson, The Associated Press