MANCHESTER, England: Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola could not explain another late slump as his team lost 3-2 at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League play-offs early this morning.
Brahim Diaz and Jude Bellingham scored late goals to erase City’s 2-1 lead, Bellingham scoring the winner in the 92nd minute at the Etihad Stadium as the mood turned from joyous to frustrated.
“We arrived at the last minute with a result and we couldn’t keep it,” Guardiola told a news conference.
“After 2-1, many games it happened, against Feyenoord in the Champions League (City led 3-0 in the 74th minute but were forced to draw 3-3), against Brentford in the Premier League, against Manchester United, many games we ended up conceding,” he said.
“Unfortunately it’s happened too often, it’s difficult.”
Erling Haaland’s two goals, including an 80th-minute penalty, saw City eye victory over the reigning champions and La Liga leaders but a clear lead means nothing to Guardiola’s side this season, who sit fifth in the Premier League.
They conceded seven goals in the last 15 minutes of Champions League action this season.
However, Guardiola said the responsibility “belongs to everyone, not just the players.”
“I have no problem accepting it. To blame a particular player, it’s ridiculous. It’s all of us, me first. Of course the players too,” he said.
“They wanted it, how they ran, how they did it, but the fact is we weren’t stable enough in that crucial moment.”