Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was left bewildered as his team suffered another devastating late collapse, falling 3-2 to Real Madrid in Tuesday’s Champions League playoff encounter at the Etihad Stadium.
In a dramatic turn of events, Brahim Diaz and Jude Bellingham scored late goals to overturn City’s 2-1 advantage, with Bellingham delivering the knockout blow in the 92nd minute, transforming the home crowd’s jubilation into silence.
A Pattern of Late Collapses
Guardiola expressed his frustration at the post-match conference, highlighting a concerning pattern: “We’ve seen this scenario multiple times – against Feyenoord where we led 3-0, against Brentford, Manchester United, and now tonight. We reach the final minutes with a favorable result but fail to maintain it.”
The Spanish tactician noted with particular concern how his players appeared to lose faith in each other during crucial moments. “When you’re leading 2-1 against Real Madrid with the return leg at the Bernabeu ahead, you need to show composure and game management,” he emphasized.
Collective Responsibility
City defender John Stones stepped forward to address the team’s performance: “We must take accountability as players. Despite dominating early, we know Real Madrid’s quality can shine through at any moment. We need to improve – there’s no other way to put it.”
Guardiola, however, refused to single out individual players, stating, “The responsibility lies with everyone – myself first, then the players. Their commitment and effort are undeniable, but we’re lacking stability in crucial moments.”
The defeat puts additional pressure on the defending Champions League winners, who barely qualified for these playoffs, finishing 22nd in the new format. The return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu next Wednesday now becomes a must-win situation for City to keep their European dreams alive.
Real Madrid, seeking their 16th Champions League title, will enter the second leg with a significant advantage, though the tie remains delicately poised given City’s proven ability to produce remarkable performances away from home.
Can Manchester City overturn this deficit at the Bernabeu? The football world awaits what promises to be an epic second leg between these European giants.
