Pep Guardiola takes aim at Pierluigi Collina after Rico Lewis hit with extended ban

Pep Guardiola has taken a swipe at FIFA referees’ boss Pierluigi Collina after Rico Lewis’ ban was extended to three games.

Manchester City’s England defender Lewis will miss his club’s final Group match with Juventus and their first knockout game after his suspension was upgraded. That comes on top of City striker Claudio Echeverri being ruled out for the rest of the Club World Cup after suffering an ankle injury.

City boss Guardiola suggested that Collina was just trying to exert his authority and insisted Lewis’s challenge on Wydad’s Samuel Obeng was purely accidental as he is not a dirty player.

Guardiola said: “I don’t know the boss for the referees, Collina? I didn’t have the honour to talk to him. I am pretty sure the referee don’t know Rico. Sometimes as a defender you have to be more aggressive but both on the floor and the reaction.

“I know it could be tough. It is Rico Lewis, I can imagine what would happen with another type of player. It is what it is, three games and he can be with his girlfriend and hopefully be back for the next games if we go through.

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“I know Rico and the intention was never to hurt anyone. If FIFA want to show how huge they are, send me three games and we move forward.”

Argentina forward Echeverri limped out of City’s last game with Al Ain and has been in a protective boot since. Guardiola admitted he does not think he will be back in time for the end of the tournament even of City go all the way in the United States.

City are set to make changes against Juventus again but they need to beat the Italian champions to finish top of the Group and avoid a potential last 16 meeting with Real Madrid in Miami next Tuesday. They will also have to cope with the sweltering heat in Orlando in a 3pm kick-off against Juventus.

Guardiola said: “Problems in the ankle, two three weeks out. Unfortunately. I feel so sorry for him. We will play new players and in the next game too and in the second half.

“The selection has that in mind. In these conditions we are not ready to play 90 minutes and at half-time we will make substitutions.

“The heat is obvious. We can’t change it. It’s netter to change at the Atlanta stadium which is fantastic. All the teams have to handle it. The next World Cup, people know it already. We have to be ready to suffer.”

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