Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed his disagreement with the referee's decision to send off Rico Lewis during their Club World Cup match against Wydad Casablanca in Philadelphia on Wednesday. The incident occurred late in the game, just two minutes from the end of what had otherwise been a comfortable 2-0 victory for the English side.

The dismissal came after Lewis slid into a challenge with Wydad Casablanca's Samuel Obeng. While Lewis won the ball, his trailing foot made contact with Obeng's face in the follow-through. Referee Ramon Abatti, who had a close view of the incident, immediately brandished a red card, much to the shock of Lewis and his Manchester City teammates.

Guardiola was visibly frustrated by the decision. Speaking after the match, he argued that Lewis had won the ball fairly and that the contact was unintentional. He emphasized that Lewis had both feet on the ground during the challenge, suggesting that the referee's assessment of the leg being dangerously high was inaccurate.

"He got the ball, both feet on the grass," Guardiola told DAZN. "The referee said, 'No, the feet and leg was high', but it's on the grass! It's natural! Rico never had absolutely any intention, but it doesn't matter, it is what it is.”

The red card means Lewis will now serve a one-match suspension, forcing him to miss Manchester City's next group-stage match against Al-Ain on Monday. He will, however, be eligible to return for their match against Juventus on June 26.

Despite the late setback, Guardiola was pleased with his team's performance overall, particularly the debuts of new signings Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders. Phil Foden also earned praise, with Guardiola highlighting his importance to the team this season.