KYLE WALKER claimed Pep Guardiola never wanted him as captain during an explosive dressing room row.
The former England defender and his Manchester City boss clashed in the dressing room following a defeat at Liverpool in December 2024.
Kyle Walker claimed Pep Guardiola didn’t want him as his captain in an explosive dressing room row during his time at Man City Credit: Getty
Guardiola was later left angry by the way Walker chose to leave for AC Milan Credit: Getty
Just over a month later, Walker told his club he wanted to move abroad and joined Milan on loan for the remainder of the season.
The incredible bust up is shown in Amazon’s new documentary ‘A Beautiful Obsession’ which goes behind the scenes for Pep’s final two years at the Etihad.
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Walker reacted angrily to his manager’s criticism over one of the goals scored by the Reds.
He said: “If you keep saying my name every meeting, every f***ing thing, it’s going to be impossible, you’re going to get a reaction.”
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Guardiola insisted he was referring to Josko Gvardiol and that Walker had mis-understood what he was trying to say.
But the full-back snapped: “For f***s sake. Every f***ing meeting it’s my name.”
Pep then suggested that maybe he mentions Walker’s name a lot because he is the skipper.
In his first years in charge, the City boss allowed the players to vote for who they wanted to wear the armband – and had no say in it himself.
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The former Three Lions man replied: “Ok but maybe you didn’t want me to be captain. You didn’t want me to be your captain.”
The documentary also shows dressing room footage from a game against Chelsea soon after Walker’s departure for Italy.
Pep was critical of the former captain for leaving in their hour of need.
He told his players: “I’m incredibly sad about what happened with Kyle.
Walker took exception to the way Guardiola appeared to call him out in the dressing room Credit: Manchester City FC
But Guardiola insisted he was talking to team-mate Josko Gvardiol Credit: Manchester City FC
“It was so easy for him – f***ing hell – it was so easy for him to come to me [and say] ‘I’m done’.
“But he did not behave as a captain to do it.
“He knows we are in the toughest moment of our lives. What did you do, my friends? What did you do with your captain?”
Pretending to take his badge off, Pep added: “Tell me – he took it and put it here.”
After finishing that season with Milan, Walker moved to Burnley last summer after eight years on City’s books.
Meanwhile, Guardiola decided he would choose the captain for his final season in charge – and opted to give the armband to Bernardo Silva.
He later claimed it was one the best decisions he had taken.
