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I Went Crazy Because Guardiola Put Zinchenko On As A False Nine And He Didn’t Put Me – Gabriel Jesus

Gabriel Jesus has opened up about the incident that led him to leave Manchester City for Arsenal.

 

The Brazil international worked under Guardiola for five years at the Etihad Stadium before joining Arsenal last summer, which he says made him feel “free”.

Speaking on the ‘Denilson Show, Jesus said the turning point in his City career came in their home game against Paris Saint-Germain in November 2021, when he was named on the bench.

 

“There was a Champions League game at home to PSG where he put [Oleksandr] Zinchenko in the false nine. Crazy,” said Jesus. – The day before, he [Zinchenko] didn’t even use him in training; he put me in as a striker. Zinchenko even joked with me: “That day I felt sorry for you.”

“There is a team discussion two hours before the game; the team eats, rests for 30 minutes, and goes to the game. He told us that I didn’t even eat. I went straight to the room, crying, and called my mother to tell her, “I want to leave.” I’m going home because he put [Zinchenko] on as a false nine and he didn’t put me on. He put the left wing there. I went crazy.”

 

Jesus replaced Zinchenko in the second half and scored the equalizer before scoring a late winner to give City a 2–1 victory. “I was not warm,” added Jesus. “I felt bad. Five minutes after [Kylian] Mbappe scored 1-0, [Guardiola] called me. I had an assist and a goal; we turned the score 2-1. In the next [Champions League] match [a 2-1 win over RB Leipzig], I thought I would play, but I didn’t. “It was a lot with him [Guardiola], and it’s not easy. But one player develops. It’s really difficult. Then I decided I didn’t want to stay anymore. And I decided to leave.”

Jesus joined City from Palmeiras in January 2017 and won 11 titles with the Manchester club.

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