Guardiola fought back tears after Walker confronted him in Anfield dressing room

Pep Guardiola was left fighting back tears after Kyle Walker confronted him in the Anfield dressing room following Manchester City’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in December 2024, according to new footage from a Prime Video documentary.

The four-part series, A Beautiful Obsession, provides behind-the-scenes access to Guardiola’s final two seasons as City manager and captures the full force of the argument, which came just days after the Catalan coach had signed a contract extension.

Walker, who captained City under Guardiola, vented his frustration at being repeatedly singled out in team meetings. “You keep saying my name, every meeting,” Walker is shown saying. “Every f***ing meeting it’s my name.”

When Guardiola responded that Walker’s name came up frequently because of his captaincy role, Walker pushed back: “You didn’t want me to be a captain. I’ve reacted to someone else, I’ve lost the ball, you somehow bring my name into it.”

Guardiola’s reply was an emotional address to the squad in which he struggled to compose himself. “If I am a problem, you have to tell me,” he said. “I won’t stay here for the money or just for the fact of staying. I extended the contract because I want to be with you, I want to fight in that position. I don’t want you to feel like I’m leaving and running away from you. It’s not going to change the love I have for all of you. Not one second. But I want to fight. That’s all. I’m sorry.”

The fallout proved damaging to Walker’s standing at the club. He played just seven more matches for City after the row, three of them as captain, before joining AC Milan on loan for the second half of the 2024/25 season.

Guardiola confirmed the writing was on the wall when he left Walker out of his squad for an FA Cup tie against Salford City in January 2025. “Two days ago Kyle asked to explore the options to play abroad at the end of his career,” Guardiola said at the time. “And for that reason I prefer to play other players whose mind is here.”

Walker departed permanently in the summer of 2025 after more than 300 appearances for the club, joining Burnley. Guardiola remained in charge at City until the end of the 2025/26 season.