Pep Bears Scars of Man City’s Late Collapse

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was left with a cut nose and red marks on his head after his team’s dramatic late collapse against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final.

Guardiola was visibly emotional after the match, which saw City concede two goals in the final minutes to lose 3-1 on aggregate. He was seen with blood on his face as he left the pitch and was later taken to hospital for treatment.

Background

Manchester City had been widely expected to beat Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final first leg at the Etihad Stadium. The English champions had won 11 of their previous 12 matches in all competitions, and they were in confident mood after beating Liverpool 2-0 in the FA Cup semi-final just a few days earlier.

However, Real Madrid produced a stunning performance to win 4-3 in Manchester. Karim Benzema scored a hat-trick for the visitors, while Vinicius Junior also netted. City’s goals came from Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, and Phil Foden.

Guardiola’s Reaction

Guardiola was visibly disappointed after the match. He said that he was “proud” of his players, but he admitted that they had made some “mistakes” in the second half.

“We played a good game, but we made some mistakes in the second half,” Guardiola said. “We conceded two goals in the last 10 minutes, and that was enough for Real Madrid to win.
“I’m proud of my players, but we have to learn from this experience. We have to be more clinical in front of goal, and we have to defend better as a team.

Analysis

City’s defeat to Real Madrid was a major setback for the club. It ended their hopes of winning the quadruple this season, and it also raised questions about Guardiola’s future at the club.

Guardiola has been in charge of City for six seasons, and he has won three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, and three EFL Cups during his time at the club. However, he has yet to win the Champions League with City, and his failure to do so this season will be seen as a disappointment.

It remains to be seen whether Guardiola will remain at City for the long term. He is under contract until 2023, but there have been rumors that he could leave the club if they fail to win the Champions League.

Conclusion

City’s defeat to Real Madrid was a major blow to the club’s hopes of winning the quadruple this season. It also raised questions about Guardiola’s future at the club.

Guardiola is under contract until 2023, but there have been rumors that he could leave the club if they fail to win the Champions League. It remains to be seen whether he will remain at City for the long term.

However, one thing is for sure: City will be determined to bounce back from this disappointment and challenge for the Champions League again next season.