“Not what the result dictates” – Pep Guardiola’s passionate defence of Manchester City display in Real Madrid rout | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was happy with his side’s display as the Blues were put to the sword in their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg against Real Madrid on Wednesday night.

Federico Valverde‘s sumptuous 22-minute hat-trick was too good for the Blues at the Santiago Bernabeu as Alvaro Arbeloa’s side took a giant step towards the quarter-final ahead of next week’s return leg in Manchester.

Manchester City named a weakened midfield featuring Bernardo Silva and Rodri in the Spanish capital, with wingers Savinho and Jeremy Doku deployed in support of Erling Haaland and Antoine Semenyo in attack.

City were leaky in defence and pedestrian going forward as they lacked the final product to make their efforts count up top, allowing Real Madrid to make them pay on the counter attack with a series of brilliant team moves that have all but eliminated Guardiola and co at the Round of 16 stage of the competition for the second year running.

How did Pep Guardiola reflect on Manchester City’s performance in the first leg against Real Madrid?

Guardiola, despite the result, defended Manchester City’s display in attack and while he conceded that his side lacked the final product, they did produce many encouraging sequences that they can seek inspiration from heading into the all-important return leg.

In a post-match interview with TNT Sports, the Manchester City manager said: “We arrived three times to the goal with good actions. We defended not proper (for the first goal) and after the amount of times we arrived to the by-line to make crosses and tap-ins.

“I don’t know, I have the feeling it was a good game, not what the result dictates. Of course, always Madrid has the ability and quality – and every time you lose the ball the transitions, because they keep the ball, and after they run – always they can do that.

“But it is what it is. I have the feeling that it was better than the result says. But the result is here, we have one week, and at the Etihad (Stadium) – we will see them.”

Was Pep Guardiola satisfied with Manchester City’s efforts in both boxes at the Santiago Bernabeu?

Guardiola went on to point that Real Madrid did not create as much as the scoreline suggested but were just at their ruthless best – with Valverde making up for the series of key absentees in attack Los Blancos were dealing with.

“They (Real Madrid) didn’t create much (after the first goal) and the second time they arrived, second goal. Arrived a third time, third goal. It’s not easy,” Guardiola added.

“The quality they have, defended so compact, solidarity, 11 players defending. So the transitions always is there. And of course Jeremy (Doku) tried really, really well and every time we arrived, we had players there. But unfortunately, we could not do it.

“I have the feeling it was quite decent, well played. We arrived, I don’t know how many times at the by-line from individual actions from Jeremy (Doku), long balls and second goals from especially Antoine (Semenyo) and Nico O’Reilly. And the passes in the six-yard box with three, four players we were not able not even to make a save from (Thibaut) Courtois.”

Guardiola and Manchester City desperately need to overturn their fortunes against West Ham in the Premier League at the weekend before they look to pull off a sensational comeback in the Round of 16 return leg against Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium next week.