‘If you don’t believe, go home’ – Pep Guardiola’s message to City squad ahead of Madrid clash | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola insists that if any of his Manchester City players do not believe they can overturn the deficit against Real Madrid they can go “home”.

Guardiola’s men lost 3-0 to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu last week and are set to face them in Manchester this Tuesday.

Despite being three goals behind, Guardiola still believes they can turn it around.

““If they don’t believe, that’s their problem,” he said.

“They’re adults, they have good salaries. If they don’t believe in that for the Champions League then go home, stay home.

“We have to try. What do we have to lose?”

City have only won one of their last four matches in all competitions, drawing with Nottingham Forest and West Ham as well as the loss to Real Madrid. Guardiola explained why they are struggling to get results of late.

“We have five or six players in the box to score a goal,” Guardiola explained. “We are not asking players to make an action to dribble past seven players and scoring a goal.

“We miss simple things in the box. Defensively as well. We conceded a goal that should be avoided. 

“We have 24 shots… we are not able to score two or three or four. In Leeds we won 0-1. We didn’t win 0-3 or 0-4. 0-1. 

“We are, in many things, good, but not like we were.

“With eight games left we have to accept it and finish the season better,” he continued. “The quicker we improve the better it will be for the present and for the future, for next season. 

“This is what we have to do. I like my team. I know today modern football is not (like that) but still I like it so until the end we continue.

“Next season we will be back.”