Pep Guardiola’s Tactics Criticized for Late Collapse against Real Madrid
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Former Premier League defender Frank Leboeuf has criticized Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola for his tactical approach in the closing stages of the match against Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Manchester City’s inconsistent performance this season has been a cause for concern, as they have lost 12 games in all competitions, including their recent 3-2 defeat against Los Blancos in the first leg of the Champions League knockout phase playoffs.
The Citizens were leading 2-1 until the 85th minute, before conceding two late goals from Brahim Diaz and Jude Bellingham within seven minutes, resulting in a 3-2 loss.
Leboeuf criticized Guardiola for instructing his players to play out from the back even in the latter stages of the game, when they were leading. The former defender believes that the Citizens should have opted for long balls instead of focusing on building up from the defense, in order to protect their lead and see out the game.
According to Leboeuf, Mateo Kovacic’s loss of possession in his own half, while attempting to play out from the back, was a prime example of Guardiola’s tactical approach failing to secure the victory.
Leboeuf said on ESPN: “Pep Guardiola said that he doesn’t have the solution for that [conceding late goals].
“So maybe the first solution is in the last 10 minutes you stop playing from your own half.
“You kick the ball far away and try to press and you try to survive, you stop playing, it is a bad habit and today again when the opponent has the ball you put him down.
“We saw Rico Lewis not doing anything on Vinicius Jr, we see Kovacic, who has such a technique, shouldn’t lose the ball, losing the ball because he tries to play.”
Moving Forward: Rebuilding Confidence and Securing a Last-16 Spot
Manchester City will hope that their players can regain their best form in the coming weeks, as they still have the chance to qualify for the Champions League last 16, with the second leg against Real Madrid yet to be played.
The Citizens’ ability to bounce back from this setback and display a more pragmatic and resilient approach will be crucial in their quest for European glory this season.
Call to Action: As Manchester City fans, let’s rally behind the team and support them in their mission to overcome this challenge and secure their place in the Champions League last 16.
