Manchester City faced a significant setback as Real Madrid outplayed them in the Champions League knockout play-offs, resulting in a 6-3 aggregate defeat. Pep Guardiola, the team's manager, openly admitted that the team lost its consistency this year due to various reasons. The team finished a disappointing 22nd in the league phase, highlighting a poor season overall. This defeat marks an end to an era, but Guardiola is determined to lead City into a new chapter.
The recent loss to Real Madrid has raised questions about Manchester City's performance throughout the season. Guardiola acknowledged the team's struggles, stating,
"This year, for several reasons, we lost consistency."
The poor performance was evident as they finished 22nd in the league phase. Guardiola remarked,
"We've had a poor season. When you finish 22nd (in the league phase), it's a sign that you haven't played well."
Despite this year's challenges, Manchester City has an impressive track record under Guardiola's leadership. The team has won six Premier League titles in seven seasons and reached advanced stages in the Champions League. Guardiola emphasized,
"Nothing is forever, but we can't deny what this group of players have done, winning six Premier League titles in seven seasons and reaching the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in this competition."
The recent match against Real Madrid demonstrated City's struggles, as Guardiola admitted,
"This time we had to play these two matches against a very strong team and they were better than us."
In response to the season's shortcomings, Manchester City has already begun a rebuilding process. The club invested over £175 million in acquiring six new players during the January transfer window. This rebuild aims to strengthen the team and address areas that faltered this season.
Another challenge for City came with Erling Haaland's unavailability in key matches. Haaland was an unused substitute against Newcastle last weekend due to a knock. He informed Guardiola that he was not fit enough to play against Real Madrid, revealing discomfort even with simple tasks like walking up stairs.
Currently, Manchester City ranks fourth in the Premier League, trailing leaders Liverpool by 17 points. As they prepare to host Liverpool on Sunday, broadcast live on Sky Sports, Guardiola aims to steer the team towards a new era of success.
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