Pep Guardiola Fires Back: "You Want War? Now We War"

Pep Guardiola admitted that Arsenal provoked him into a more intense rivalry following their heated 2-2 draw at the Etihad Stadium last weekend. The match, which featured several flashpoints saw City striker Erling Haaland throw the ball at Arsenal defender Gabriel. After the game, John Stones and Kyle Walker accused Arsenal of using “dark arts” to defend their 2-1 lead. Stones then equalized in the eighth minute of added time.

On Friday, Guardiola responded to the accusations, declaring, “You want a war? Now we war.” He referred to Gabriel’s post-match comments where the Arsenal defender called the game a “battle” and acknowledged that provocative acts are part of football. Guardiola suggested that the rivalry had intensified but accepted it as part of the competition.

Mikel Arteta, who spent four years as Guardiola’s assistant at City dismissed the accusations of using “dark arts” and downplayed any personal feud. He expressed his admiration for Pep Guardiola and emphasized that their personal relationship wouldn’t suffer due to their professional rivalry. The rivalry between City and Arsenal has escalated in recent seasons with Arsenal mounting a serious challenge for the Premier League title.

Last season, despite leading the league in April, Arsenal eventually finished second behind City. Tensions rose further when Haaland threw the ball at Gabriel’s head during the stoppage-time equalizer with some pundits arguing that Haaland should have faced suspension. Guardiola acknowledged that emotions often run high in competitive matches but understood the challenges Arsenal presented.

The teams will face each other again in the Premier League on February 1 with the possibility of earlier clashes in domestic cup competitions.