City’s Guardiola can’t explain another late collapse in Real defeat
REUTERS – Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola had no explanation for yet another late-game collapse as his team lost 3-2 at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League playoffs on Tuesday to leave their campaign hanging by a thread ahead of the second leg.
Brahim Diaz and Jude Bellingham struck late to erase City’s 2-1 lead, the latter netting the winner in the 92nd minute at the Etihad Stadium where the mood swung from joy to despair.
“We arrived at the last minute with a result and we could not keep it,” Guardiola told a press conference.
“After 2-1, many games it has happened, against Feyenoord in the Champions League (City led 3-0 in the 74th minute but were held to a 3-3 draw), against Brentford in the Premier League, against Manchester United, many games at the end we give away,” he added.
“Unfortunately it has happened so many times, it’s difficult.”
Erling Haaland’s double, including a penalty in the 80th minute, had City poised for a win over the holders and LaLiga pacesetters but leads have proved slippery this season for Guardiola’s side, who are fifth in the Premier League.
They have conceded seven goals in the final 15 minutes of Champions League matches this term.
City defender John Stones acknowledged that the players had to be accountable.
However, Guardiola said the responsibility “belongs to all of us, not just the players.
“I don’t have a problem to accept. To blame one specific player, that is ridiculous. It’s all of us, me first. And of course the players as well,” he said.
“They want it, how they run, how they do it, but the truth is we are not stable enough in that (crucial) moment.”
The second leg is next Wednesday in Madrid.