Jamie Carragher Responds After Pep Guardiola Slams Him for Erling Haaland Comments

Jamie Carragher has responded to Pep Guardiola after the Manchester City manager criticised him for his comments on Erling Haaland. Earlier this week, Real Madrid defeated the defending Premier League winners 3-1, eliminating them from the winners League. Despite leading for the entirety of the first leg, City faltered near the end of the game and went into the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu knowing they needed to defeat Carlo Ancelotti’s team to advance to the tournament’s knockout rounds.

Despite the stakes, Guardiola was without his star player, Erling Haaland. The Norwegian, City’s top scorer, was forced off injured in the previous match, leaving him on the bench as the club lost 3-1. While covering the game for CBS Sports, Carragher reported that the attacker did not want to face Antonio Rudiger. The former Liverpool man stated:

“Let me work this out: Haaland went to the manager in the morning and told him he wasn’t fit. Do you think that has anything to do with Rudiger? Is this because Rudiger is playing?

“He’s on the bench, so he can’t get injured. I never went to the manager on the morning of a game and told him I wasn’t fit. So, is he injured? Is it Rudigeritis? “Is that what we are saying here?”

The comments quickly came to Guardiola’s attention, and he was not afraid to express his thoughts on them during a press conference.

Guardiola Slammed Carragher

He wasn’t impressed with the former defender

Carragher’s comments on Haaland were brought up in a post-game press conference, and Guardiola didn’t mince words in response. The former Bayern Munich manager was furious that the pundit would even suggest that his striker would sit out such an important match on purpose. He said:

“Oh, God! Did he say that? Did Jamie Carragher say that? Oh, God. Do not laugh. I’m not sure why he’s so suspicious, you know? Did he indicate Haaland did not want to play the game? It’s not pleasant, and it’s not true.

“He [Haaland] was insane to play the game. He was unable to play due to a knee injury.

🗣️ Jamie Carragher suggested that Haaland pulled out of the game because he didn't want to come up against Rudiger.

“Oh god.. Did Jamie Carragher say that? Oh God…. I don't laugh”, says Pep.@BeanymanSports 🎥 pic.twitter.com/Mdq0bO6min

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 22, 2025

The former centre-back has subsequently responded on social media.

Carragher said that the comments were a joke.
He chastised journalists for hiding that.

After Guardiola chastised Carragher for his comments, the 47-year-old took to social media to explain himself. He addressed the problem, revealing that his words were a joke intended to ‘wind up’ former Manchester City player Micah Richards, who was working beside him at the time.

Carragher wrote on Twitter: “It was a joke to wind up Micah Richards because that’s the nature of our show on CBS, and you know that @MullockSMirror, but you just thought let’s get a big headline for my piece!” “Typical Sunday newspapers!!!”

It was a joke to wind up Micah Richards as that’s the nature of our show on CBS. and you know that @MullockSMirror but you just thought let’s get a big headline for my piece!
Typical Sunday papers!!! https://t.co/NflE0Uo0nt

— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) February 22, 2025