Pep Guardiola Slams Referees, Claims He’s ‘Never Trusted Them’ as Title Pressure Mounts on Man City

PEP GUARDIOLA has revealed that throughout his ten years in England, he has always maintained a skeptical view of referees and VAR.

He warns his Manchester City players that they can’t rely on officials to assist them in their quest for more trophies.

Arsenal took advantage of a crucial VAR decision against West Ham on Sunday, keeping their lead in the title race.

Coach Pep emphasizes that they have grown used to critical moments not going in their favor, especially in the last two FA Cup finals.

Before the upcoming game against Crystal Palace on Wednesday night, he noted: “Those finals were lost due to referees not making the right calls, even with VAR.”

“We need to up our game. It’s not just about the refs or VAR; I’ve lost faith in them since arriving here.”

VAR Insights

Complete VAR transcript from West Ham v Arsenal reveals how the goal was disallowed

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During last season’s Cup final loss—against Palace—City were stunned when goalie Dean Henderson escaped a red card for handling the ball outside his area.

Ironically, the referee from that match, Stuart Attwell, is set to officiate again against Palace.

The previous year, fierce rivals Manchester United pulled off an unexpected win while two penalty appeals from Erling Haaland were ignored.

Guardiola concluded: “I’ve come to understand that we need to perform better, position ourselves more effectively, and in the end, we can only blame ourselves.”

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“Because VAR is essentially a gamble. We must concentrate on improving ourselves, starting with Palace.”

“When I first arrived, I brought in experience from Barcelona and Bayern Munich, and I simply said, ‘You need to get better at this.’”

“The other elements of the game depend on the institutions that enforce the rules.”

Arsenal’s close 1-0 victory over West Ham came after a last-minute equalizer by the Hammers was reversed through VAR review.

The Gunners’ last two Premier League matches are against Burnley and Palace, with City trailing by five points but holding one game in hand.

Nevertheless, Guardiola insists his players must stay focused, reiterating: “Of course, it’s not entirely in our control.”

“The crucial match now is against Palace and to observe how other results unfold.”

“I’ve learned that losing focus can put you in a vulnerable position.”