Guardiola: Normally I don’t call my players’ wives!

The Manchester City boss was in a jovial mood ahead of Sunday’s game against Arsenal, as evidenced by his answer to a question about Claudio Bravo’s future

Pep Guardiola displayed his light-hearted side when asked about Claudio Bravo’s supposed unhappiness at Manchester City on Friday afternoon.

A report in Spain had claimed that Bravo has struggled to settle in England and wants to return to Barcelona, but Guardiola insisted the first he heard about it was when asked by a journalist at his pre-Arsenal press conference.

The Catalan claims Bravo was in high spirits when the two of them, as well as the goalkeeper’s wife, spoke earlier this week.

“I didn’t hear about that,” he said. “Sometimes, when you come here, Simon [the City press officer] will make a briefing as to what you are going to ask me, but he didn’t speak about that issue.

“I don’t read too much of newspapers, of the Twitters and Instagrams and Facebooks. I spoke with Bravo in the last days, and with his wife as well. I saw him here. Their little daughter as well, but I couldn’t speak with her because she is just one year old, so I couldn’t speak with her.

“And he told me he is so happy. You can ask for the info [about the story] from the journalists.”

Guardiola was at pains to point out that he does not make a habit of speaking to his players’ other halves, however: “It was to do with the passport issues and what the English departments need to be settled in England. It was something like that. Normally, I don’t call the wives of my players!”