Fernandinho surprised Pep Guardiola by revealing he will leave Manchester City this summer and go back to his native Brazil to finish his career.
The City captain, who turns 37 in May, will depart the Etihad Stadium at the end of his contract but had not told his manager when he went public with his decision.
Guardiola nevertheless paid tribute to the midfielder who he called a “true captain” and “an incredible player” for City and said he understood why the veteran wants to get first-team football. He immediately vowed to try to overcome Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night and reach the Champions League semi-finals for Fernandinho.
The Brazilian has made 373 appearances for City since joining from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013, winning four Premier League titles and a record five League Cups, but he has only started six league games this season after Rodri replaced him as the first-choice defensive midfielder.
“I want to play,” Fernandinho said. “I will go back to Brazil. I decided with my family, which is the most important thing for me.”
And Guardiola pledged: “I want the happiness of my players. Absolutely we are going to play for him and give him the best farewell moment, reaching again the semi-finals of the Champions League. I understand the family issues with a wife and kids, go back to Brazil, with the father and mother there. I am pretty sure the club is going to help him do what he wants.”
Guardiola reacted to Fernandinho’s announcement by hoping he can change his mind. “It was a surprise,” he said. “You give me the news, I didn’t hear it. I will say to him: ‘What happened, are you leaving?’ Fernandinho, I said many times, is very important for me. We will see what happens. I will talk to him.”
While Fernandinho has played a lesser part on the pitch this season, he has been hugely influential behind the scenes.
City v Atletico ratings
He explained: “I like the types of persons who behave behind the scenes. I know what he has done, behind me, how he handles many of the biggest stars we have for the benefit of the team. This is a real captain. That is why I praise him. We know each other well. He is always from day one an incredible football player for Manchester City with the trophies [won] and the minutes [played]. There are things that nobody knows but I know exactly.”
City have welcomed Ruben Dias back into the squad after a hamstring injury but Guardiola said the centre-back, who has had a solitary training session after six weeks out, will not start tonight. “It is a bit premature but the fact he is back is incredible. Everyone will be important with the tight schedule we have.”
City have a 1-0 lead after the first leg in which Atletico did not register a shot. Guardiola expects a different match. “It won’t be anything like last week,” he said. “They are playing at home with their fans behind them. When they play knockout games at the [Vicente] Calderon and now the Wanda [Metropolitano] they have some very exciting moments. There will be moments when they are so aggressive and create problems but we travel with an intention to win the game.”
Guardiola had described Atletico’s tactics at the Etihad Stadium as 5-5-0 and referred to them as “prehistory” in one interview, drawing a firm rebuttal from Diego Simeone.
“I’ve never talked down to a colleague of mine or talked badly,” said the Atletico manager. “Like my dad said: ‘The fish dies through the mouth’. It's a saying. Talk is free and everybody can talk but I don't talk badly of colleagues and we all have our opinions.”
