The Manchester City boss says players discuss team news after concerns an Aston Villa injury was leaked by fantasy football transfers
Pep Guardiola says it is “unprofessional and unethical” for players to share team selections after concerns that Jack Grealish’s injury for Aston Villa was leaked.
The England international missed Villa’s clash against Leicester City at the weekend, with concerns that news may have been leaked out via Fantasy Football.
The Manchester City boss said he was unaware of the online game but said team news can sometimes be revealed when players talk to people away from the club.
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What happened at Aston Villa?
Villa players have reportedly been banned from taking part in fantasy football after concerns about the leaking of Grealish’s injury.
Several players are believed to have teams and made changes with the midfielder transferred out of their starting line-up.
Automated ‘bots’ can track the fantasy football teams of Premier League players and are at the centre of growing concerns over team news leaks.
What has been said?
“I heard what happened about Aston Villa’s situation. I know the players play games but I don’t know what fantasy football is, honestly,” Guardiola said ahead of the clash with Borussia Monchengladbach.
“I’ve never played it and I heard about it for the first time when I listened to the headlines about this situation.
“Sometimes there’s a selection and players are friends with other teams and they talk. Sometimes you make a team selection and players speak to friends on other teams and talk about what you do.
“Sometimes it happens and it is incredibly unethical and unprofessional but you cannot control it.”
Have there been any other examples?
More than seven million people play fantasy football and selections can be seen up to an hour before the first match in any round of top-flight fixtures.
On January 31, Liverpool’s Andy Robertson transferred out Sadio Mane from his team with the Senegal forward missing the home defeat to Brighton two days later.
Leicester’s Wes Morgan and Hamza Choudhury also took Jamie Vardy out of their teams before the striker missed the next four games through injury.
Further reading
- Sometimes when you win 1-0 it is so good – Guardiola
- Guardiola cannot wait to get Aguero back in Man City team
- What is Pep Guardiola’s Champions League record
