guardiola-accepts-real-madrid-defeat-urges-city-to-learn

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admitted that his team was not at their best after being knocked out of the UEFA Champions League by Real Madrid. He accepted that the Spanish club deserved the victory and emphasised the importance of learning from the defeat.

 

City’s journey in the tournament came to an end after a 6-3 aggregate loss. The first leg at the Etihad Stadium saw Guardiola’s side fall 3-2, making the return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu a difficult challenge.

 

Real Madrid played with speed and precision, securing a 3-1 win, with Kylian Mbappe scoring a hat-trick for the reigning European champions.

 

This was the fourth meeting between the two clubs in as many seasons. City had previously defeated Real Madrid on their way to winning the title but suffered elimination on penalties last year. This time, Guardiola acknowledged that his opponents were the better side and deserved to progress.

 

The City manager praised Real Madrid for their strong performance, stating that they had outplayed his team in every aspect.

 

He admitted that while City had performed well in previous seasons, this time they were simply not at the required level. He stressed that his team must accept the defeat and work towards improvement.

 

Guardiola highlighted the strengths of the Madrid side, pointing out their ability to play both quick attacking football and patient possession-based play. He acknowledged their defensive solidity and overall dominance in the game.

 

He urged his players to take lessons from this loss and move forward with the right mindset.

 

City’s centre-back Ruben Dias echoed similar sentiments, acknowledging that the team did not deliver their best performance. He stressed the importance of learning from the experience and pushing for better results in the future.

 

Dias admitted that the defeat was particularly difficult to accept because of the high standards that City have set for themselves. He said that the team is not just used to winning but thrives on a mentality of excellence, making the loss even more painful.

 

However, he insisted that the only way forward is to accept the reality and work towards being better.