Pep Guardiola said his Man City players need to keep their emotions in check for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Atletico Madrid.
City will go into next week's game at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium with a 1-0 lead thanks to Kevin de Bruyne's 70th minute goal in the first leg at the Etihad on Tuesday.
Late in the match, Jack Grealish - who played 22 minutes off the bench - had the ball booted at him by Atletico's Angel Correa as he lay on the ground. Guardiola stepped onto the pitch to intervene as a row erupted between Grealish and Atletico players.
Correa was booked for the incident. Guardiola refused to be drawn on whether it should have been a great punishment.
"The referee is there," said the Man City manager.
"It's not my job. Jack reacted really well and stayed focused on what we needed to do."
"Jack reacted really well" 👏
Pep Guardiola defended Jack Grealish after his confrontation with Atleti players last night at the Etihad#UCL pic.twitter.com/DQZqN4uhyN— LiveScore (@livescore) April 6, 2022
Guardiola added: "We have to control our emotions and do what we have to do. We are good doing what we do, and there are things we are not good at.
"There will be a referee there. We have to play our game. Prepare tactically, and mentally, the game we are going to play.
"Atletico have faced knockout stages many times, more than us, and it will be a good test for us with our maturity."
Atletico manager Diego Simeone said his team will use everything at their disposal in their effort to progress.
"We play with that feeling of just wanting to go through using the tools we have against a team with the weapons they have," said Simeone.
"We know they'll play in the same way and we’ll use the tools we have at our disposal to go through. I’ve been shown how to compete until the end in any way you can."
See Also: Atletico Have Potential To Make Manchester City Pay Despite Etihad Defeat
