Guardiola-Walker fallout revealed in new documentary

A new documentary shows the moment Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola told his players that he was "incredibly sad" that captain Kyle Walker had asked to leave the club.

In an emotional scene, the Spanish manager is also shown telling the players "you cannot behave" the way Walker did.

Former City defender Walker joined AC Milan on loan in January 2025, after asking his manager if he could leave the club for a fresh challenge.

A new Amazon Prime documentary series following Guardiola's final two years at the club captures the manager addressing his team just days after the defender's departure.

"So sad, what happened with Kyle," he says, before a home match with Chelsea.

"It was so easy for him to come to me [and say] 'I'm tired'. But you cannot behave as a captain the way he has done it. You cannot, in the toughest moments in our lives.

""What did you do my friends? What did you do with your captain? Tell me, what did you do?"

While it is not clear what specific behaviour from his captain Guardiola is referring to, one scene does capture an argument between the pair following a loss at Anfield in December 2024, during which Walker was at fault for losing the ball to Luis Diaz before the former Liverpool winger won a penalty.

"Kyle has to know that if you lose the ball it's a goal," Guardiola tells his dressing room afterwards, which draws an angry reaction from the defender, who says: "Every meeting, it's my name".

Guardiola's response was to say: "Maybe because you're a captain."

Walker replies: "OK. You didn't want me to be your captain".

The England defender was made chosen by City teammates to be captain for the 2024-25 season, with four vice-captains - Kevin de Bruyne, Ruben Dias, Rodri and Bernardo Silva.

Shortly before that defeat to Liverpool, Guardiola signed a new contract at City , after suffering four consecutive defeats for the first time in his career.

Just after the argument with Walker, the documentary shows the Spanish coach in tears as he tells his team: "If I'm a problem, then you have to tell me.

"I won't stay here just for the money, or just for the fact to stay.

"I extended the contract because I want to be here with you, I want to win a fight in that position. I don't want to feel that I'm leaving and running away from you. I don't want to have that feeling that now the pieces fall down."

He adds: "But if you feel, captains first, then the other ones, for example [feel] that there's a problem, tell me. 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."

Before leaving for Milan, Walker made 316 appearances for City and won six Premier League titles under Guardiola after signing from Tottenham in 2017 for £50m.

However, his final season at the Etihad was dogged by poor results as City ended the 2024-25 season trophyless - just the second time that had happened since Guardiola joined the club in July 2016.

Impact of Guardiola's divorce and coming close to leaving City earlier

Despite signing a contract extension in November 2024, the series reveals how close Guardiola came to not renewing his deal.

In one scene, the manager reveals to director Kevin Macdonald that, after losing four games in a row in 2024, he told the club: "Maybe it's over."

In a separate scene, City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak says that he was not sure he was going to be able to convince the legendary manager to stay at the club.

"You know the boy that cried wolf? He is the boy that cried wolf," the Emirati said.

"I always convince him, but last year, I knew, this time he actually saw the wolf."

There were various mitigating circumstances for City's disappointing campaign in 24-25, including the 115 charges for alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules hanging over the club and the long-term injury of 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri.

Amid that, Guardiola's personal life was in turmoil as he went through a divorce and there was media speculation about his mental state when the 55-year-old appeared with multiple scratches on his head and nose following a disappointing 3-3 Champions League draw with Feyenoord in November 2024.

While the coach does not admit to the idea that his personal struggles affected his ability to do his job, Manel Estiarte, a long-time member of Guardiola's technical staff, speaks about how he had to address players who were worried by their manager's behaviour.