Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed frustration over his side’s inability to defend leads, as Real Madrid struck twice late on to claim a dramatic 3-2 victory in the first leg of their Champions League playoff at the Etihad.
Despite Erling Haaland’s brace, defensive lapses saw Brahim Diaz and Jude Bellingham capitalize on errors to hand Madrid a crucial advantage heading into the second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Guardiola: “We Are Not Stable Enough”
Guardiola did not hold back in his post-match assessment, acknowledging that his team struggles to see out games.
“I am not good enough to give the composure to the team to manage this situation. The truth is we are not stable enough. It happened many times,” he admitted.
City have now conceded eight times in the final 15 minutes of their last five Champions League matches, a worrying trend that has seen them squander leads against Feyenoord, PSG, and now Madrid.
John Stones: “We Need More Accountability”
City defender John Stones echoed Guardiola’s frustration, calling for more responsibility from the players.
“It’s a feeling of anger and frustration. We need to see games out better. The manager said we need to take accountability for what we do on the pitch,” Stones stated.
“Today we had a great opportunity to go to the Bernabéu with a 2-1 lead.”
Ancelotti Hails Madrid’s Resilience
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti was delighted with his team’s response, especially given that they played without their entire first-choice defense.
“The four defenders, who never played together before, were able to play a good game because the team worked really well defensively,” he noted.
Despite being wasteful earlier in the game, Madrid’s never-say-die attitude saw them overturn the deficit, with Bellingham tapping home Vinicius Jr’s effort for the winner.
With Madrid now holding the edge, City face an uphill battle when they visit Spain on February 19, hoping to turn the tie around and avoid an early European exit.