Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola has expressed surprise and concern over the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and award it to Morocco.
“It’s surprising, I don’t know the reason, but it’s a decision that was made behind the scenes,” Guardiola said during his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Arsenal.
“Decisions are now being made behind the scenes, and we don’t see the faces of those who stand behind these decisions,” he added.
Guardiola emphasized that such opaque decision-making extends beyond football.
“This is not new; it is what has been happening in football recently, and in the whole world as well,” he told the Associated Press. “Look at what’s happening around the world. There’s unbelievable chaos, and nobody is doing anything about it. Everything is happening behind the scenes. The world is on the verge of collapse, yet we are still here talking about hidden tricks.”
City will aim to move past the disappointment of their Champions League exit when they face Arsenal at Wembley this weekend. The former Premier League champions were eliminated after a 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium, going out 5-1 on aggregate.