- By Simon Stone
- BBC Sport chief soccer information reporter at Etihad Stadium
Image supply, Getty Images
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says prime goalscorer Erling Haaland and playmaker Kevin de Bruyne each requested to come back off earlier than his aspect have been knocked out within the Champions League quarter-finals by Real Madrid on penalties.
Both would most likely have taken spot kicks if they’d nonetheless been on the pitch, with City finally happening 4-3 within the shootout after the tie completed 4-4 on mixture.
Defender Manuel Akanji was the third participant who wanted changing as a legacy of their latest accidents.
“They asked me to go out,” stated Guardiola. “They could not continue.”
Haaland was changed by Julian Alvarez, who scored his penalty, on the finish of 90 minutes whereas De Bruyne, who netted City’s opening objective, got here off within the first half of additional time.
The Belgian made means for Mateo Kovacic, whose effort was saved by Real goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.
The City boss supplied no criticism of Kovacic or Bernardo Silva, who requested to take a penalty however despatched a poor try straight at Lunin.
“Bernardo is a reliable player,” he stated. “He wanted to take it. He decided to shoot in that way. It is what it is.”
City had 67% possession on the Etihad Stadium, 33 pictures to eight and 9 heading in the right direction to Real Madrid’s three.
But it counted for nothing as City’s defence of the trophy they gained so thrillingly towards Inter Milan final June got here to an finish, concurrently their hopes of an historic double Treble.
“Johan Cruyff said luck doesn’t exist, I agree with him,” stated Guardiola.
“Losing like this hurts. We feel bad but we did everything. We have no regrets about what we have done.”
City have little time to choose themselves up given the face Chelsea within the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday.
Guardiola is aware of this defeat will sting, although Real are the event heavyweights and can now be favoured to go on and carry the trophy for a file 15th time at Wembley in June.
“We played exceptional in all departments but unfortunately we did not win,” he stated.
“You hope to create extra and concede much less as a result of it lets you win however we did not convert the possibilities we had.
“To beat Real Madrid you must be at your greatest. We have been at our greatest nevertheless it was not sufficient.”
