Guardiola Says Hart Snub Is His Biggest Man City Regret

Pep Guardiola has admitted that forcing Joe Hart out of Manchester City remains his biggest regret during his trophy-laden spell at the club.

The Spaniard, who will oversee his final game in charge against Aston Villa on Sunday, reflected on key decisions from his decade-long stay at the Etihad Stadium, where he won multiple domestic titles and the club’s first UEFA Champions League trophy.

Guardiola revealed he still regrets not giving Hart the opportunity to prove himself after arriving at City in 2016.

The former England number one was sent on loan to Italian side Torino shortly after Guardiola’s appointment, before the club brought in Claudio Bravo and later Ederson as first-choice goalkeepers.

Speaking in an interview with Sky Sports, Guardiola admitted he may have acted too quickly in his handling of Hart’s situation.

“I have regrets,” Guardiola said. “One regret that has stayed with me for years is not giving Joe Hart the chance to work with me and show how good he was.”

The City boss explained that Hart had wanted an opportunity to adapt to the possession-based style he demanded from his goalkeepers, but he opted instead to move in another direction.

Guardiola praised both Bravo and Ederson for their contributions to the club’s success, but acknowledged he could have managed the transition differently.

“I could have said, ‘Let’s try it together first, and if it doesn’t work, we’ll make a change,’” he added.

The 55-year-old also admitted his strong belief in his tactical decisions sometimes made him inflexible, though he insisted there was never any personal intention to hurt Hart.

Guardiola said managing emotions and difficult conversations with players has been one of the toughest aspects of his coaching career.

Hart later rebuilt his career with clubs including Celtic after leaving City permanently.