Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola issued a cagey response after his side was knocked out of the UEFA Champions League.
The reigning European champions lost 4-3 on penalties to Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium, with the two teams unable to be separated after 180 minutes of football.
Bernardo Silva‘s bizarre spot-kick proved pivotal as Carlo Ancelotti’s side scored four consecutive penalties, with former Chelsea man Antonio Rudiger smashing home the decider from twelve yards.
WATCH | Why Man City Should Build EVERYTHING Around Phil Foden
Speaking after the game, the former Barcelona boss could not hide his disappointment, with City surrendering their UEFA Champions League crown in the process.
Rodrygo had put the visitors ahead early on, but Kevin De Bruyne‘s late equaliser proved in vain as the Blues bowed out.
“No, we were better defensively because we conceded less chances than them,” Guardiola said in his post-match briefing. “So we defended better than them, that’s for sure.
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
“Congratulations to Real Madrid – they defended so deep with incredible solidarity. We did everything.”
Real Madrid celebrate their penalty-shootout success against Manchester City. (Image credit: Getty Images)
It was largely one-way traffic for Real Madrid to defend against, with City posting a whopping 33 shots compared to Los Blancos mere 8 on the evening overall.
The Spanish giants will now face Bayern Munich in the semi-finals of the competition, with Borussia Dortmund set to go toe-to-toe with reigning French champions PSG over two legs.
“I don’t have any regrets about what we have done,” added Guardiola. “Always as managers, we try to create more and concede less in every single game because that helps to win. We did everything, defensively and offensively.
“They made a good goal. There were two, three, four transitions but it is normal at that level with the quality they have. We played exceptionally in all departments. Unfortunately, we could not win. It is what it is.”
Top Naija News – Nigeria News, Nigerian News & Top Stories Top Naija News – Nigerian Newspapers, Nigerian News. topnaijanews is a daily Nigerian newspaper covering Latest News, Breaking News, Entertainment, Sports, Lifestyle and Politics.
