Pep Guardiola has now reveald what he said during animated on-pitch team talk with Stefan Ortega vs Brentford

Pep Guardiola was visibly frustrated with his side after Manchester City surrendered a two-goal lead at Brentford, but despite his on-pitch rant at Stefan Ortega, the City manager was keen to offer praise for his goalkeeper’s overall performance.

Phil Foden’s brace had given City a commanding 2-0 lead in the second half, but a late rally from Brentford, including a stoppage-time header from Christian Norgaard, saw the points shared.

Ortega, filling in for Ederson, got a hand to Norgaard’s header but couldn’t keep it out, leading to Guardiola’s apparent anger at full-time.

According to Guardiola, however, his comments weren’t solely about the goalkeeper’s error. Guardiola explained after the match, reinforcing that Ortega’s contribution was positive despite the late lapse, thus:

“I said how good he played, the actions with the ball, the pass to Erling [Haaland], how happy and satisfied I am, especially with these two players and what they have done.”

His outburst, though passionate, was followed by a series of three embraces for the keeper, signaling a complex mix of disappointment with the result and recognition of individual effort.

Foden, who had played a key role in putting City in control, offered his own analysis of the draw, citing fatigue as a factor in their collapse.

“We looked leggy… we didn’t cope with the physicality at the end,” he said, acknowledging the pressure Brentford applied in the final stages. It was clear that City struggled to maintain their intensity after going 2-0 up, something that could become a critical talking point in Guardiola’s post-match review.

The result further dents City’s title defense hopes, as a win would have lifted them to fifth, level on points with Chelsea. Instead, the draw leaves them with more work to do to regain momentum in what has been a challenging period. With several tough fixtures ahead, including their next Premier League match against Ipswich Town, Guardiola will be hoping for a more consistent run of results to stay in the race for the top positions.

Meanwhile, Brentford’s Wissa, who etched his name into club history with his goal, now turns his focus to an upcoming clash with Liverpool, as he looks to build on his personal milestone.