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Pep Guardiola kicks out at drinks cooler on night of high tension for Man City in Champions League

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Pep Guardiola kicks out at drinks cooler on night of high tension for Man City in Champions League
News

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Pep Guardiola kicks out at drinks cooler on night of high tension for Man City in Champions League

2025-01-30 07:47 Last Updated At:07:52

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Pep Guardiola kicked out at a drinks cooler in a moment of unbridled relief as Manchester City avoided a stunning early exit from the Champions League on Wednesday.

The City manager could not contain his emotions on a night of high drama at the Etihad Stadium as his team came back from the brink of elimination when 1-0 down to Brugge at halftime. A 3-1 win secured the lifeline of a playoff against either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.

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Manchester City's Mateo Kovacic, centre, scores his side's first goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)

Manchester City's Mateo Kovacic, centre, scores his side's first goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)

A fire burns at a merchandise kiosk outside the Etihad Stadium before the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Brugge in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.(AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

A fire burns at a merchandise kiosk outside the Etihad Stadium before the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Brugge in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.(AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola arrives to take his seat for the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola arrives to take his seat for the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Firefighters extinguish a blaze at a merchandise kiosk outside the Etihad Stadium before the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Brugge in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.(AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Firefighters extinguish a blaze at a merchandise kiosk outside the Etihad Stadium before the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Brugge in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.(AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Brugge's Raphael Onyedika, bottom, celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Brugge's Raphael Onyedika, bottom, celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland, centre, stands dejected after Brugge's Raphael Onyedika, not in the picture, scored the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland, centre, stands dejected after Brugge's Raphael Onyedika, not in the picture, scored the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

Brugge's Raphael Onyedika celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Brugge's Raphael Onyedika celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol, left, celebrates after his cross led to an own goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol, left, celebrates after his cross led to an own goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reacts during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reacts during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

“I told them it was over, that we are out..." Guardiola admitted afterward when revealing his halftime team talk. But he also came up with the words to inspire a fightback.

“In the second half, we lift our soul and our hearts were free,” he said. “For today we are in the next round, that’s good.”

In a must-win game for the 2023 champion, City fell behind just before halftime, but victory meant it finished 22nd in the 36-team standings to secure a two-legged playoff to advance to the round of 16.

Guardiola appeared to live every moment on the sideline — being shown a yellow card for his over-exuberance at one point and switching from ballboy to cheerleader at various other times.

His nerves were clear to see as he fidgeted and gesticulated from the sides — holding his head in his hands at times and at others waving his arms in the air in an attempt hype up the home crowd. And when Brugge's Joel Ordonez turned the ball into his own net in the 62nd minute, Guardiola let it all out — launching a boot at the drinks cooler as he celebrated.

It was all in contrast to the dejection on his face as he slumped in his seat when Raphael Onyedika had fired Brugge in front.

Guardiola is known for showing his emotions during games and that has been even more evident in a troubled season for his four-time defending Premier League champion.

In a 3-3 draw with Feyenoord in November — when his team relinquished a 3-0 lead — he ended the match with cuts across his head and nose due to scratching himself.

He joked at the time that he wanted to “I want to harm myself,” and later had to clarify his comments, saying he "in no way intended to make light of the very serious issue of self-harm.”

City was always favorite to beat Brugge. But in a season when Guardiola's team picked up only one victory in 13 games from October to December, including nine losses, nothing could be taken for granted.

And when Brugge went ahead, a stunned Etihad must have feared the worse. But a night that began with a fire erupting from a merchandise stall outside the stadium ended in a celebration inside at the final whistle.

With Madrid or Bayern to come, Guardiola was honest about whether he thought City could go all the way to win the trophy for a second time.

“Right now, no (I don't),” he said. “I'm so pragmatic, the reality is the reality.”

James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Manchester City's Mateo Kovacic, centre, scores his side's first goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)

Manchester City's Mateo Kovacic, centre, scores his side's first goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)

A fire burns at a merchandise kiosk outside the Etihad Stadium before the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Brugge in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.(AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

A fire burns at a merchandise kiosk outside the Etihad Stadium before the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Brugge in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.(AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola arrives to take his seat for the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola arrives to take his seat for the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Firefighters extinguish a blaze at a merchandise kiosk outside the Etihad Stadium before the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Brugge in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.(AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Firefighters extinguish a blaze at a merchandise kiosk outside the Etihad Stadium before the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Brugge in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.(AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Brugge's Raphael Onyedika, bottom, celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Brugge's Raphael Onyedika, bottom, celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland, centre, stands dejected after Brugge's Raphael Onyedika, not in the picture, scored the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland, centre, stands dejected after Brugge's Raphael Onyedika, not in the picture, scored the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

Brugge's Raphael Onyedika celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Brugge's Raphael Onyedika celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol, left, celebrates after his cross led to an own goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol, left, celebrates after his cross led to an own goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reacts during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reacts during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

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Trump says federal government should 'take over' DC, backing congressional GOP push

2025-02-20 11:08 Last Updated At:11:10

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday threw his support behind congressional efforts for a federal takeover of the nation's capital, saying he approves putting the District of Columbia back under direct federal control.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump complained about crime and homelessness in the district, saying, “I think we should take over Washington, D.C. — make it safe.” He added, "I think that we should govern District of Columbia.”

Under terms of the city’s Home Rule authority, Congress already vets all D.C. laws and can outright overturn them. Some congressional Republicans have sought to go further, eroding decades of the city’s limited autonomy and putting it back under direct federal control, as it was at its founding.

Trump said he liked District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser personally, but complained about the city's governance.

“They’re not doing the job,” Trump said. “Too much crime, too much — too many tents on the lawns — these magnificent lawns.”

He argued that he can't have sights of homelessness when he hosts foreign leaders in Washington. “You just can’t let that happen,” Trump said. “You can’t have tents on all your beautiful — your once magnificent plaza and lawns.”

President Donald Trump, followed by Elon Musk, arrives on Air Force One, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Joint Base Andrews, Md, after returning from Florida. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

President Donald Trump, followed by Elon Musk, arrives on Air Force One, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, at Joint Base Andrews, Md, after returning from Florida. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

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