Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero has questioned his former manager Pep Guardiola’s decision not to bring on Julián Álvarez against Real Madrid on Tuesday night.
The game ended up being a 1-1 draw for Man City (not a bad result to take back for the second leg at home whatsoever) with Kevin De Bruyne having to answer back with a rifled shot after Madrid opened the scoring through an equally impressive rocket from Vinicius Jr.
However, even after City drew level in the 67th minute and had plenty of time to try and grab a winner, Guardiola opted not to make a single change throughout the entirety of the game despite the talent at his disposal — a decision that left many fans scratching their heads.
Sergio Aguero was left wondering the same thing too, as it turns out. Reacting to the stalemate, the club’s all-time leading goalscorer criticised Pep for not only refusing to make a substitution but for failing to pick one player, in particular: Álvarez.
"I don't understand why he (Pep Guardiola) doesn’t put Julian (Alvarez) in. I wonder, but hay, he has Haaland. But again, Pep doesn’t marry anyone.
I would put Julian in almost every game because when the opportunity comes, he'll have a spark"
Aguero thinks Álvarez could make a difference for Pep not just against Madrid, but as a regular starter.
Speaking on the AlbicelesteTalk podcast after the full-time whistle, the now-retired Argentine striker couldn’t help but wonder why the Catalan coach didn’t bring on his fellow countryman to try and score a second which could have proved vital in the tie overall.
ADVERTISEMENT
“What I don’t understand is why he didn’t put Julián [on]. I wonder, but well it’s Pep.” The 23-year-old has registered 15 goals and five assists in 44 appearances this season, most of them coming off the bench, and has impressed City fans and neutrals alike almost every time he plays.
Aguero went on to say, “If it was up to me I would play Julián in almost every game because we need him to be active and for him to have a spark,” clearly backing his compatriot to play from the start more regularly. I mean, he has just won a World Cup, to be fair.
ADVERTISEMENT
Although Pep hasn’t gone for the overkill of having Haaland and Álvarez on the pitch at the same time too often — and you rarely want to sub someone as inevitable as the Norwegian is — it’s hard to see why he wouldn’t put on fresh legs and another serious attacking threat when trying to win a game.
On the other hand, the 52-year-old is obviously a master tactician and will no doubt have had his reasons, and is certainly no strange to being reserved when it comes to subs. In fact, last year he was among the managers to have made the fewest changes over the course of the season.
With the tie now finely poised for a blockbuster second leg over at the Etihad, City stand a real chance of making it to the final two for the second time in as many years, having been beaten by Chelsea in the 2021 Champions League final.
Nevertheless, if the game ends up being another tightly-balanced and tense affair, we imagine Pep will have no problem bringing on Álvarez and other subs once the clock starts ticking down.
Featured Image — Manchester City/Sergio Aguero/Julián Álvarez (via Instagram)
Sport
Co-op Live confirmed as the host venue for the 2026 Netball Super League Grand Final
Danny Jones
Manchester’s Co-op Live has booked its latest big event as the 2026 Netball Super League (NSL) Grand Final is set to be held at the massive indoor venue.
As one of the biggest indoor entertainment venues not just in the country but all of Europe, there’ll be room for plenty of UK fans to pile into the stands.
This being not only the NSL‘s debut at the arena but the first final to ever be held in the building, it’s set to be a historic night for lots of reasons.
Announcing the huge coup – not just for the increasingly popular female-led competition, but for sports fans around Greater Manchester in general – this week, the reaction to the big date on the women’s sporting calendar has been just as big.
As mentioned in an official press release, “The selection of Co-op Live for the 2026 Soft & Gentle Grand Final builds on the arena’s rapid emergence as a global destination for sport and entertainment, following a programme of major global broadcasts across music and sport.”
The 23,500-capacity and completely indoor stadium has quickly established itself as a leading destination for live music and more since it finally opened back in May 2024.
Last year’s Super League Grand Final was held down in the capital at The O2 Arena as the fast-rising franchise London Pulse beat Loughborough Lightning 53–45 to lift the title for the first time in history.
Now, the NSL is looking to capitalise on those record-breaking crowds by bringing the action closer to another foundational home for so many competitive disciplines: Greater Manchester.
With England Netball themselves being headquarted at the England Netball is headquartered at the National Squash Centre and Regional Arena on the Etihad Campus (next door to the arena), choosing Co-op Live only felt natural this time.
Elsewhere, another big tournament is being held up in the North, too, with the Netball Super Cup set be hosted at the Utilita Arena over in Yorkshire – much to our mates at The Sheff‘s delight.
Treat a netball fan in your life ❤️
🤝 Help them start #NSL2026 in style and get them tickets to see the Netball Super Cup live.
As for Co-op Live itself, general manager Guy Dunstan commented: “We’re incredibly proud to welcome the Soft & Gentle Grand Final to Co-op Live and to make history by hosting the first sporting final at the arena.
“Co-op Live was designed to bring people together for unforgettable shared experiences, and this reflects everything [we] stand for: world-class events, inclusivity, community impact and inspiring the next generation. We can’t wait to see Manchester play host to such a landmark moment for the sport.”
As always, official Co-op members get early access through the venue’s dedicated presale window, which will open at 10am on Monday, 2 March.
Meanwhile, general admission will then be available from the same time the following Thursday (5 Mar); you can get ready to grab your tickets for the Netball Super League Grand Final in Manchester at Co-op Live right HERE.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via Co-op Live)
Sport
Pep Guardiola delivers important reminder about multiculturalism after Jim Ratcliffe controversy
Danny Jones
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has delivered an important message about the power of multiculturalism in his most recent press conference.
Guardiola’s comments come after the high-profile controversy surrounding his rival club across the city, Man United, whose co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, saw some of his recent remarks fall under major scrutiny.
In case you somehow missed it, the Failsworth-born British billionaire was heavily criticised after claiming he believes the UK has been “colonised by immigrants”.
Fast forward a couple of days, and while the club and the fan base are still dealing with the fallout of the story, Pep acknowledged the debate by reminding people that “embracing other cultures” makes for a “better society”.
Well put, Pep – in fact, we couldn’t have said it better ourselves.
Although he didn’t reference the 74-year-old directly after being probed on the subject by journalists, the Man City boss reiterated that his time spent living and working across the world has only broadened his mind and enriched his life.
That goes for both his professional and personal spheres, by the way, as the Catalan coach has often spoken of his love for English culture and the Manc people, specifically.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup game against local side Salford City, Pep described the attitudes towards immigrants around the world as a “big problem” despite most people simply leaving their country in search of “a better life”.
He also drew attention to the fact that he, like so many others in football – a sporting industry loved the world round by people from all walks of life and that the likes of Ratcliffe directly benefit from – is an immigrant working and contributing to not just the game but the British economy by being here.
Meanwhile, Manchester United have since shared a public statement on their club website and across social media, reiterating to fans and supporters the world over that they are an “inclusive club”.
‘We will continue to represent our people, our city and our fans with purpose and pride.’
The INEOS chairman, CEO and minority stakeholder in Manchester United Football Club, has since apologised (at least in part) for his “choice of language” following the divisive interview with Sky News.
In a world where plenty of people are quick to pessimism, negativity and turn to division almost by default, Pep’s message is one echoed by so many and is one that we should all keep in mind.
And for anyone who needs a more light-hearted bit of content on their timeline this week, here’s what else Pep said in his pre-match presser…
Pep Guardiola responding to a really intelligent question from a reporter:
‘Do you want to be my assistant coach, fucking hell, you are brilliant…’
Danny Jones -
10th May 2023 
