Pep Guardiola makes surprising Riyad Mahrez revelation

Pep Guardiola revealed he “didn’t know” how poor Mahrez’s penalty record was in a post-match interview, saying “he shoots perfect penalties in training”.

Well, perhaps he should have done, given the fact the Algerian failed to convert one for Leicester against Guardiola’s side in the penultimate match of the 2016-17 season.

In fact, Mahrez’s late miss at Anfield means he has failed to score five of his last eight Premier League penalties – he has not scored one since the Foxes’ 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough in November 2016. And even more damningly, among the players to take at least 10 spot-kicks in the competition, only ex-Aston Villa front man Juan Pablo Angel (50%, 5/10) has a lower success rate than Mahrez (58%, 7/12).

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“He had the courage to hit the penalty,” added Guardiola. “OK, this sometimes happens.”

Jesus wanted to take the penalty – awarded when Virgil van Dijk caught sub Leroy Sane at the end of a fascinating contest, and Guardiola admitted:

“Jesus wanted to take it, yes, but it was my decision. What did I say to him afterwards? Apologise. I apologised, yes of course. It was my decision.”

And Guardiola conceded that he had sent a message onto the pitch via Benjamin Mendy for Mahrez to take the penalty, even though Jesus was lining it up.

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“I sent Mendy to tell him, yes, because “During the training sessions every day I see Mahrez every time take taking the penalties and it gave me a lot of confidence.

“It will be good experience for him, next time it will go in. He had the courage to hit the penalty. In the training session, he shoots perfect penalties. In the end, ok, it sometimes happens. In the end it is what it is.”

Guardiola was disappointed after his tactical plan to slow the game down to stop Liverpool’s high energy press almost worked.

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