Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has spoken candidly about his team's painful 3-2 defeat against Real Madrid in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League playoff tie. The match, which took place at the Santiago Bernabeu, was a rollercoaster of emotions for City fans as they saw their team surrender a lead twice before ultimately falling to the Spanish giants.
City looked to be in control after star striker Erling Haaland netted an impressive brace. However, their failure to maintain the lead proved costly, as Real Madrid capitalized on defensive lapses. Kylian Mbappe, Brahim Diaz, and Jude Bellingham each found the back of the net, giving Los Blancos a crucial advantage ahead of the return leg in Manchester.
Reflecting on the game, Guardiola attributed the loss to a series of "bad decisions" by his players, particularly in the second half when City became too eager to attack rather than manage the game’s tempo.
"Many times it happens this season," Guardiola said, as quoted by NBC. "I know the quality of Real Madrid. We took the game in the second half and tried to attack too quick."
He acknowledged that Madrid's extraordinary quality played a major role in City's struggles but emphasized that the loss was due to his team’s mistakes rather than simply Madrid’s brilliance.
"It happens because they are an exceptional team," he admitted. "This has happened to us many times this season. Bad decisions, that's all."
When questioned about whether injuries played a role in City’s defeat, Guardiola refused to use that as an excuse, taking full responsibility for the team's performance.
"I take it. It's not about you and me, it's everyone. Yeah, that is all season [injuries]. But we know it."
With crucial fixtures coming up, including a Premier League showdown against Newcastle and the decisive second leg at the Etihad Stadium, Guardiola will need to quickly lift his players' spirits if they are to overturn the deficit and keep their Champions League hopes alive.