Pep Guardiola Quotes His ‘Idol’ Johan Cruyff as He Aims a Bizarre Dig at His Own Injured Manchester City Players

Guardiola, Cruyff and a Ruthless Message to Manchester City’s Dressing Room

Pep Guardiola has never been a manager to hide behind excuses. Injuries, suspensions, fixture congestion – none of it has ever really softened his expectations. But even by his own demanding standards, his latest comments raised a few eyebrows. Quoting his “idol” Johan Cruyff, Guardiola appeared to take a pointed – and some might say bizarre – dig at his own injured Manchester City players, questioning not just their fitness, but their mentality.

For a man who built his entire football philosophy on Cruyff’s teachings, this was not a throwaway remark. It was a statement loaded with meaning, aimed squarely at the heart of his squad during a season where injuries have tested City’s depth and patience.

After a routine 2-0 win over Wolves, Guardiola chose not to dwell on the scoreline or tactical details. Instead, he delivered a message that felt more like a warning than a reflection, reminding everyone at the Etihad that commitment, in his world, goes far beyond talent.

Pep Guardiola and the Cruyff Doctrine: No Excuses Allowed

Guardiola’s admiration for Johan Cruyff is no secret. He doesn’t just reference him; he reveres him. Cruyff was not only Guardiola’s coach at Barcelona but the architect of the footballing ideology that Pep has spent his entire managerial career refining and evolving.

To Guardiola, Cruyff was more than a mentor. He was, in Pep’s own words, his “idol” and “everything”.

That’s why, when Guardiola quotes Cruyff, it’s never casual. It’s philosophical.

Speaking after City’s victory over Wolves, Guardiola said:

“I believe Johan Cruyff – my mentor, my idol, my everything. When he said to me ‘when a player doesn’t want to be injured, they will not be injured’.”

It’s a sentence that feels almost brutal in its simplicity. In modern football, where sports science, load management and medical data dominate discussions, Guardiola’s words cut against the grain. He wasn’t denying bad luck or serious injuries. But he was clearly suggesting that mentality still matters – perhaps more than some players realise.

Pep Guardiola Manchester City 2025-26

A Dig at Injured Man City Players? Guardiola Doesn’t Flinch

Guardiola didn’t name names, but he didn’t need to. Manchester City’s injury list has been long and frustrating throughout the 2025-26 season. Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Nico Gonzalez and Savinho have all spent time sidelined, forcing Guardiola into constant adjustments.

And yet, Guardiola seemed unconvinced that all injuries are simply unavoidable.

“There are situations where they are unlucky,” he admitted. “But when you are incredible in shape and you don’t want to be injured, you will not be injured. Unfortunately we have a lot, that is the problem that we have right now.”

To some, it sounded harsh. To others, it sounded exactly like Guardiola being Guardiola. This is a coach who demands absolute buy-in, who believes the mind drives the body, and who expects players to push through discomfort for the collective good.

It was a reminder that, at Manchester City, availability is not just a medical issue – it’s a competitive one.

Injuries Testing Guardiola’s Patience in 2025-26

This season has been one of Guardiola’s most testing campaigns in terms of squad availability. Rarely has he been able to field his preferred XI for any sustained period. Defensive combinations have changed weekly. Midfield partnerships have been patched together. Even Erling Haaland has been carefully managed, rested against Wolves rather than risk aggravation.

Ahead of City’s Champions League clash with Galatasaray, Guardiola ran through his list of absentees with a tone that felt weary rather than angry.

“Marc can’t play, Antoine can’t play, Rodri can’t play,” he said. “Nico Gonzalez will not be ready and Savinho will not be ready and John Stones will not be ready.”

It was a roll call that underlined his earlier point. For Guardiola, injuries disrupt rhythm, preparation and trust. And while he respects the medical staff – whom he praised as “incredible” – he clearly feels that something deeper is missing.

Pep Guardiola Manchester City

Bernardo Silva: The Guardiola Ideal in Human Form

If Guardiola’s comments felt like a warning to some, they also served as a contrast. Because moments later, he spoke about one player who, in his eyes, represents everything he wants from a footballer: Bernardo Silva.

The Portuguese midfielder, now City’s club captain, is the embodiment of Guardiola’s footballing values. Intelligent, selfless, tactically flawless and relentlessly competitive.

“I would love for Man City, for myself as well, if Bernardo could stay forever,” Guardiola said. “When I decide to play Bernardo in the team, I go to bed and I sleep better.”

It wasn’t said lightly. Guardiola trusts Bernardo in every phase of the game. On the ball, off the ball, in possession, under pressure. More than that, he trusts his attitude.

“He has fire in his eyes still,” Guardiola added. “Hopefully he can contaminate and inoculate this fire to the rest of the group.”

That word – fire – is crucial. It’s the same fire Guardiola feels is missing when players are unavailable, cautious, or hesitant.

‘No Excuses’: The Guardiola Way

Pep Guardiola to take coaching break when time at Manchester City ends – BBC Sport

One line from Guardiola stood out above all others.

“The guy who creates excuses forgets his mistakes,” he said. “And he never finds excuses. Never.”

It was a thinly veiled philosophy lesson. For Guardiola, excuses are the enemy of improvement. Injuries might be real, but how players respond to adversity defines them.

Bernardo Silva, in Guardiola’s eyes, never hides. He never points fingers. He never complains. He plays through pain, adapts his role, sacrifices personal glory and leads by example.

That’s why Guardiola called him “special, special”.

And perhaps that’s why his comments about injuries felt so pointed. In a squad full of elite talent, Guardiola wants more Bernados – players who refuse to accept limitations.

Cruyff’s Shadow Still Looms Large Over Guardiola

Critics might argue that Guardiola’s comments are outdated, that modern football demands caution and recovery. But Guardiola would likely counter with Cruyff’s philosophy: football is played with the brain first.

Cruyff believed that intelligence, positioning and awareness reduced physical strain. Guardiola still believes that players who are mentally sharp, physically prepared and emotionally committed are less likely to break down.

By invoking Cruyff, Guardiola wasn’t dismissing sports science. He was reminding everyone that mentality remains central to elite performance.

Manchester City’s Title Chase Rolls On

Despite the injury frustrations, City remain firmly in the Premier League title race. Arsenal’s recent slip against Manchester United has opened the door, and Guardiola’s side now sit just four points behind the Gunners.

Next up is a tricky trip to Tottenham, sandwiched between Champions League commitments. It’s the kind of schedule that exposes any lack of depth or resilience.

Guardiola knows this. And his message, strange or not, was likely designed to sharpen minds rather than offend sensibilities.

A Bizarre Dig or a Calculated Wake-Up Call?

Was Pep Guardiola’s comment about injured players unfair? Possibly. Was it controversial? Certainly. But bizarre? Only if you don’t understand Guardiola.

This is a manager who believes football is about obsession, sacrifice and total immersion. Quoting Johan Cruyff was no accident. It was a reminder of the standards that built Guardiola’s career and shaped Manchester City’s dominance.

Whether his injured players agree or not, the message is clear: at City, excuses don’t win titles. Commitment does.

And if history tells us anything, Guardiola’s teams usually respond when challenged.