Manchester City collapses against Real Madrid as Pep Guardiola admits his frustration following the 2-3 defeat in the Champions League playoff first leg.
After the match, the City manager spoke to Movistar+, expressing his concern over his team’s recurring struggles this season and his inability to find solutions.
“Yes, this match is a reflection of what has been happening to us throughout this campaign. If something keeps happening, it’s because I haven’t found the solution. This was the best version of Real Madrid at the Etihad, yet we had a good result in hand and let it slip away. It’s true they created more chances than ever here, but overall, it was a close game.”
A Recurring Issue for City
Guardiola acknowledged that this was not the first time City had squandered a strong position this season:
“As has happened to us several times this year, I’m not going to say we lost because that would imply the opponent did nothing, but we certainly let the victory slip away. (…) We now need to recover mentally because this defeat is a tough blow. We will see what adjustments we can make for the second leg, and we will certainly give it our best shot.”
With City now on the back foot, Guardiola and his squad must find answers quickly before the decisive return leg against Real Madrid.