Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has apologised to Steven Gerrard for comments he made about the ex-Liverpool captain’s slip against Chelsea.
Defending City over alleged financial rule breaches, Guardiola referenced Gerrard’s mishap when the Reds lost 2-0 to Chelsea late in the 2013-14 season.
Liverpool went on to narrowly miss out on the Premier League title to City.
“I apologise to Steven Gerrard for my unnecessary and stupid comments,” said Guardiola.
“He knows how I admire him and his career and what he has done for this country I am living and training in.”
The infamous slip by Gerrard, who did not win a Premier League winners’ medal during his career, allowed Demba Ba to put Chelsea in front when they won at Anfield in April 2014.
City won their game in hand to go top of the league on goal difference before then claiming victory in their final two games of the campaign to win the title by two points from Liverpool.
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Manuel Pellegrini was City’s manager at the time, with Guardiola taking over from him in 2016.
“I don’t know if we are responsible for Steven Gerrard slipping,” Guardiola said last week when talking about the Premier League charging City with more than 100 breaches of its financial rules.
Guardiola addressed the remarks at the start of his news conference for his side’s game at Arsenal on Wednesday.
“I am ashamed of myself for what I said because he [Gerrard] doesn’t deserve it,” he said.
“I truly believe my comments about defending my club but I didn’t represent my club well putting his name in these stupid comments.
“I apologise, I said to him personally but I commented publicly and have to do it here as well. I am so sorry to him, his wife Alex, his kids and family because it was stupid.”