Walker and Guardiola Clash Over Responsibilities Amid City’s Struggles
In a tense dressing-room exchange, Manchester City captain Kyle Walker confronted manager Pep Guardiola, accusing him of unfairly singling him out for blame. The incident highlights the deteriorating relationship between the two as City grappled with a challenging season.
Guardiola reportedly told Walker that he needed to take on more responsibility as the team’s captain during a particularly poor run in autumn 2024. This period included a devastating 2-0 loss to Liverpool in December, marking a troubling stretch where City experienced nine defeats in 12 matches—Guardiola’s worst record as a manager.
Following the match, Guardiola admonished Walker, saying, “You don’t understand, Kyle.” Walker responded with frustration, stating, “Pep, you keep saying my name, every meeting in every fing thing. Every fing meeting it’s my name.”
Their argument, part of Prime Video’s upcoming documentary A Beautiful Obsession, reveals Guardiola suggesting that the focus on Walker stemmed from his role as captain. The documentary also captures Guardiola warning Walker about defensive lapses during the Manchester derby, which ultimately contributed to a United victory.
After the fallout, Walker appeared in just three more games for City before expressing his desire to seek a move abroad. He joined AC Milan on loan for the remainder of the 2024-25 season and later secured a permanent transfer to Burnley in the summer of 2025. Despite Walker’s peers electing him as captain, Guardiola appointed Bernardo Silva as the new skipper later that year.
:: A Beautiful Obsession launches exclusively on Prime Video in the UK & Ireland on 19 August 2026
Kyle Walker accused Pep Guardiola of picking on him and blaming him for everything in a dressing-room row as their relationship as Manchester City captain and manager broke down.
And Guardiola told Walker he did not understand and to accept more responsibility as skipper of the side during City’s awful autumn of 2024.
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City’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in December 2024 came during a spell of nine losses in 12 games, the worst run of Guardiola’s career.
And he turned on right-back Walker in an argument after the match, saying: “You don’t understand, Kyle.”
Walker replied: “Pep, you keep saying my name, every meeting in every f***ing thing. Every f***ing meeting it’s my name.”
In the argument, shown in Prime Video‘s forthcoming documentary A Beautiful Obsession, Guardiola responded: “Maybe it’s because you are captain.”
The Catalan is also seen warning Walker about balls over the City defence at half-time in the Manchester derby in the same month – and before one led to a Manchester United winner.
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Walker only played three more games for City before telling Guardiola he wanted to look for a move abroad.
He joined AC Milan on loan for the rest of the 2024-25 season before getting a permanent deal to Burnley last summer.
Whereas Walker had been elected City captain by his teammates, Guardiola appointed Bernardo Silva as skipper in the summer of 2025.
:: A Beautiful Obsession launches exclusively on Prime Video in UK & Ireland 19 August 2026
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