On Tuesday, April 12th, 2022 not too many things really shock the head coach of Manchester City, Pep Guardiola, but that can sometimes occur when he gets blindsided.
Just imagine the inevitable reaction of the Manchester City football club’s manager as he walked in to a press conference on Tuesday, April 12th, 2022, and the legendary Guardiola was told for the first time that one of his best veteran footballers had just recently disclosed that he wanted to leave the historic football club of Manchester City in order to return back home to his roots.
“Sorry?” Guardiola remarked, after being asked for his response to Fernandinho announcing he wants out of Manchester City in order to return back home to his native Brazil at the end of this season. “Oh. I didn’t know. You just gave me the news.”
And that is absolutely the case as the 36 – year – old Fernandinho, broke Pep’s heart as he announced that he is requesting to leave Manchester City’s football club so that he can play and hopefully retire in his home country of Brazil after the conclusion of the 2021 – 2022 European Football season. Fernandinho was a backbone of the Manchester City club for the last 9 – trophy – filled seasons of professional football. He has reportedly explained to the sports media representatives that he will not be extending his contract with Manchester City in order to stay with his current squad for a 10th – year.
“I want to play,” the Brazilian midfielder explained, in a rather straight – forward manner, last Tuesday, as his football team is preparing for their emotional second – leg match versus Atlético Madrid in the upcoming Champions League quarterfinals.
“I will go back to Brazil, for sure,” he goes on to say.
Fernandinho has been a staple at Man City since joining their squad from Shakhtar Donetsk way back in 2013, especially after he allowed himself to drop into a defensive – minded midfield role in which he mastered the art of breaking up opposition’s largest offensive threats.
Over the course of this season, the 4 – time English Premier League winner has been forced to become the backup to Rodri as Manchester City’s strong and forceful anchorman in the midfield, and he has transformed into an extremely valuable piece of the Manchester City puzzle.
Fernandinho just so happens to be more important to his club off of the field than on it more recently as he is one of their most valued leaders, and a veteran voice in the club’s locker room and training ground. Fernandinho has not started a game for Manchester City in over a month, and he has just 1 – league start all season so far as he is presently perceived as an obvious downgrade from the currently high – striding Rodri.
“With age, it’s hard for me but I put myself in a position to try to help the team as I have always done,” says Fernandinho.
For Fernandinho it is vitally important for him to finish off his professional football career in his home nation of Brazil. He didn’t mention a possible club for him to land to, and it seems as if he will take his pro footballing career virtually full circle, by potentially going to the team that he started it all with in his home – land club of Atlético Paranaenseway back in 2002.
“Maybe it’s a family decision, maybe he wants more minutes than he has had,” Pep Guardiola emotionally expressed. “For his happiness and that he wants to play, it’s completely normal and understandable.”
Guardiola stated that Manchester City would attempt to make it past the superior club of Atlético Madrid as a way to honor the great Fernandinho.
“We are going to play tomorrow for him,” says Guardiola, “and give him the best final moment.”
Fernandinho did not have a way to feature himself at all in last week’s first – leg of the competition in which Manchester City ultimately won with a final tally of 1 to 0 thanks to another huge goal score from their star, Kevin De Bruyne.
In spite of these circumstances the once Brazilian powerhouse player still had a very important role in the contest by coming on to the pitch at the end of the match, and he eventually assisted his teammate Jack Grealish in getting away from Atlético Madrid’s Angel Correa when they engaged in a heated altercation with one another.
Fernandinho as well as Guardiola both expect an extremely hostile and highly – competitive atmosphere inside the historic and legendary Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, and they are encouraging Manchester City’s players to keep their heads cool in the inevitable face of provocation from the Atlético Madrid side.
“We have to be ready for everything, for any circumstances,” Fernandinho relayed. “The main thing is just to focus on ourselves, the way we have to play, the tactics we adopt in this game and how we can hurt them.”
The center – back from Portugal, Ruben Dias, has made a mighty return to the team following a 6 – week stint on the bench due to a recent hamstring injury, but the head coach of Manchester City realized that the defender was not in any shape to start against Atlético Madrid.
Right – back Kyle Walker is also available once again following him serving his 3 – game European suspension.
At the moment Manchester City has a 1 – point advantage over the 2nd – place team in the 2021 – 2022 English Premier League standings in Liverpool, and Liverpool has a commanding lead over the 3rd – place EPL club in Chelsea.
Sources:
Douglas, Steve. “Fernandinho’s decision to leave City surprises Guardiola”. The Associated Press. April 12, 2022.
ESPN News Services. “English Premier League Table 2021 – 22” ESPN. April 13, 2022.