Guardiola added: “I don’t have a proper opinion because I don’t know the reason why. I didn’t read it, didn’t see it.”
By Kehinde Okeowo
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has said the decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to award the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to Morocco—after initially recognising Senegal as the winner—caught him unawares.
He made this known on Friday while speaking to journalists ahead of his team’s League Cup final against Arsenal on Sunday.
CAF recently stripped the Teranga Lions of the 2025 AFCON title, awarding it to the Atlas Lions following a ruling by the body’s Appeal Board.
The decision followed a petition by Morocco, which argued that Senegal’s conduct during a chaotic final constituted a forfeit.
ALSO READ: AFCON 2025: Rooney chides CAF, insists ‘Senegal beat Morocco fair and square’
Consequently, the board nullified the original 1-0 result and awarded Morocco a 3-0 walkover win, declaring the host nation the new continental champions. The board claimed Senegal had breached Articles 82 and 84.
Reacting to the verdict by the African football governing body, Guardiola said: “It’s a surprise.”
The Spanish tactician added: “I don’t have a proper opinion because I don’t know the reason why. I didn’t read it, didn’t see it.
“But it’s a decision made behind the scenes. What happens everywhere is what we see—it’s not [just] happened, it always happens behind the scenes and you don’t see their faces. That is what is happening lately in football and all around the world in other subjects.”
