Kostas Tsimikas has revealed what Pep Guardiola said to him after the Man City manager celebrated in the Liverpool left-back’s face.
Liverpool’s matches against Man City rarely pass without incident and April’s clash at the Etihad was no exception.
Guardiola came under fire after celebrating in the face of Tsimikas and Arthur Melo following Julian Alvarez’s first-half equaliser.
Tsimikas didn’t react to the Spaniard’s provocation and has since revealed what Guardiola said to him subsequently.
Speaking to Gazetta, Liverpool’s left-back explained: “He said to me: ‘Sorry, I didn’t do it to offend you.
“‘I did it because we scored a very good goal.'”
"I don't know how Tsimikas hasn't pushed him out of the way there!" ?
Pep Guardiola didn't hold back in his celebrations in front of the Liverpool players… ?
?? @rioferdy5 pic.twitter.com/d5v9oS6eiu
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 1, 2023
Tsimikas added that he joked back: “I told him that I would do worse things if we scored in front of you, so there is no problem.”
After the game, Guardiola was criticised in his press conference for his behaviour and responded sarcastically.
“Nah, come on. I’m so sorry,” said the manager.
“Speak with Tsimikas, speak with the others. Ask him if I lack respect. I celebrate the goal with my son on [the tier above].
“And I said, ‘the goal was nice, isn’t it?’. That’s all. I’m so sorry. Do you think it’s a lack of respect? Ah OK, sorry. I’m so sorry.”
While Tsimikas showed little emotion in the face of the Man City boss, Arthur simply smiled back.
It was one of just three games in which Arthur has made the Liverpool squad since October, but he wasn’t called into action and is now likely to return to Juventus without having played a single minute of Premier League football.
Tsimikas wrote himself into Liverpool’s history books last season by scoring the winning penalty against Chelsea in the FA Cup final.
He hasn’t carried that momentum into this campaign, though, and will end the season likely having played nearly 500 minutes less than last time around.
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