Football: Pep Guardiola furious at referees failure to protect players as City lose Sane

Pep Guardiola is unhappy with referees protection of football players. Photo / Getty Images.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has slammed referees' protection of players and said officials will make it impossible for his side to win the rare quadruple this season.

The claim came after he revealed attacking midfielder Leroy Sane could be out for a month with an ankle ­injury sustained after a horrendous late tackle by Cardiff City defender Joe Bennett during the 2-0 FA Cup fourth-round victory.

Bennett was cautioned for that tackle and was eventually sent off for another poor challenge, on substitute Brahim Diaz, with Guardiola marching onto the pitch at full-time to speak to referee Lee Mason. He showed his annoyance throughout at Cardiff's physical approach.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola stormed the pitch to give referees a serve after his player Leroy Sane was injured. Photo / Getty Images.

"I said many times: the only thing they [referees] have to do is protect the players," Guardiola later said, adding that he was making a ­general point and not one specifically about City.

"Please protect the players. Not the Manchester City players, [all] the players. Because it's not that one is more brave to kick, no … The only thing they can do is that: protect the players. Or it will happen again, it will happen again. It ­happened once, it happened with Brahim again at the end. So, please. For football in general, the players, they are the artists, you have to take care of them. That's why you are here and why I'm here. For them, the players.

"And the only thing they can do is to protect them. I've said many times here, do you believe that the player who is stronger in that sense is stronger? It's not true."

Asked whether he feared for further serious injuries unless there was greater protection, Guardiola added: "Of course. Not my players, the players in general. It is not just one – it is many. Every team can play how they want. If they decide to play in that way, perfect.

"But there is one man, in black, he has to decide what is correct and incorrect.

"When you say: Why don't you win the four titles? I need the players to win the four titles. It is impossible for that to happen. When I said the 'Invincibles', that is not going to happen. They asked me if we would be invincible in the Premier League and I said no. I do not have enough players; I have players out injured. It is impossible."

On Sane, who was substituted at half-time after limping down the tunnel, Guardiola added: "He will be out for a while, minimum two, three weeks, one month. We will see what exactly tomorrow. Ankle."

Sane's replacement, Sergio Aguero, also limped off at the final whistle after another heavy ­challenge.

Neil Warnock, however, hit back. "They dished out a bit as well," the Cardiff City manager said. "I think they had one or two naughty ­tackles.

"He's in England [sic], isn't he? What do you expect? I suppose when you're like that, you want everything to be nice and pretty, but you don't get that in England. You get different challenges, don't you?"

Asked about Guardiola going onto the pitch, Warnock added: "I can't condone managers going off like that, can I? Really? Good job it wasn't the other way I think I might have got sent off. It shows he cares. It's what you want.

"He's looking after his own team and he made his feelings heard."

Warnock criticised Bennett for being sent off in injury time. "It's absolutely pathetic, the tackle," he said. "When you're on a booking to do something like that, I think it's disrespectful to your teammates, really."

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