In an interview with Algemeen Dagblad, Van Hecke spoke about the interaction with the City manager after Brighton managed to come back from a goal down to secure all three points against the Premier League champions.
Van Hecke was crucial in the victory, playing the full 90 minutes and engaging in a tough battle with Erling Haaland. While Haaland did manage to get his name on the scoresheet, many observers felt Van Hecke had the upper hand in their duel.
Though Brighton’s win was a major talking point in itself, it was Guardiola’s behavior on the pitch after the final whistle that attracted attention. Guardiola was seen speaking animatedly with Van Hecke, leading many to speculate that he was addressing the minor clash between Van Hecke and Haaland towards the end of the match.
Van Hecke explained the conversation, revealing that it wasn’t as heated as some might have imagined. “That was a nice conversation: he congratulated me on the victory and said we had played well. Then it was about my last game with Haaland, where he thought I should have stayed standing,” said Van Hecke.
The defender continued, explaining that he didn’t back down from his perspective: “I replied that although I went to the ground, I also got up straight away. That was it.”
The conversation between Van Hecke and Guardiola, which took place in full view of the crowd, became the subject of much curiosity among both players and spectators. Van Hecke mentioned that his fellow players joked about it, with many eager to know exactly what had been said between the two.
Despite the attention surrounding the exchange, Van Hecke added that Guardiola was also full of praise. “But Guardiola was also very complimentary, he said I was a good player. So, I thought it was fine for a long time.”
In the end, it seems that the post-match chat was more about mutual respect than any serious confrontation—although it certainly sparked some buzz in the aftermath of Brighton’s historic win.
