Pep Guardiola reacts during the Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final match between AFC Bournemouth and Manchester City
Pep Guardiola will serve a touchline ban when Manchester City host Leicester City
Pep Guardiola will miss Manchester City's next fixture after receiving his third yellow card of the season.
Guardiola has walked a disciplinary tightrope for several months, and finally picked up the yellow card that will lead to a one-match touchline ban for City's next Premier League match.
Guardiola was carded in the FA Cup tie at Bournemouth on Sunday after complaining to the fourth official. And while that booking came in the cup, it still counts alongside Premier League games and means Guardiola will be absent from the touchline when the Blues welcome Leicester City to the Etihad on Wednesday.
The City manager is often animated on the sidelines, and had already received two bookings in 2024/25 for his antics. Guardiola's first booking of the season came in the dramatic 2-2 draw with Arsenal at the Etihad in September after he entered the field of play after John Stones' 97th minute equaliser.
His second was for sarcastically applauding the referee for a 93rd minute caution of goalkeeper Ederson for time-wasting in the win over Fulham in October.
Since then, he has managed to avoid a third yellow card which would trigger a one-match touchline ban, but that luck finally ran out this weekend. Unlike rules for players, there is no cut-off for bookings before managers receive a ban, meaning a manager could be at risk of a suspension for three bookings right up until the penultimate fixture of the season.
Guardiola will next be at risk of a touchline ban when he accumulates eight yellow cards, or if he is given a straight red card by the referee. Managers can also be sent off for two yellow cards in the same game.
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