Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has protected Fernandinho as the Brazilian midfielder prepares to come back to the side after a four-game boycott. “He’s so important and I am happy he’s back. He’s not aggressive. He’s a tough intense player. He is one of the nicest guys I’ve met,” Guardiola told reporters on Tuesday. Fernandinho was sent off for the third time in his last six appearances amid City’s win over Burnley this month yet returns to the squad for the Premier League game at West Ham United on Wednesday.
City missed Fernandinho in a 4-0 drubbing at Everton and a draw against Tottenham Hotspur which deserted them 12 points league leaders Chelsea. They did, nonetheless, win 5-0 at West Ham in the FA Cup third round. “What happened against Chelsea we have talked a lot about. What happened after happens many, many times. We accept the ban, don’t complain, but he’s not aggressive, he’s honest,” Guardiola added. The Brazilian was then prominently out in the wake of snatching Cesc Fabregas by the throat in a warmed trade at the Etihad Stadium in the withering stages of City’s clash with Chelsea last December. After a month Fernandinho was at the end of the day sent off after a wild test on Burnley’s Johanna Berg Gudmundsson.
“He’s not an aggressive player,” the Catalan said in his Tuesday press conference. “He’s a tough, intense player, like English football is.
“He is one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met and when you are one of the nicest guys off the pitch, you are on the pitch.
“What happened against Chelsea we have talked about a lot. The other action – I saw many of them here. We accept the ban, we don’t complain, but he’s not an aggressive guy. He’s an honest guy”.
