‘This was the best Real Madrid have played against us’ – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola | OneFootball

Real Madrid authored another of their great European comebacks on Tuesday night, coming from behind twice to win 3-2 in stoppage time against Manchester City. It will give them a lead going into the second leg of their Champions League play-off at the Santiago Bernabeu, but as good as Los Blancos might have been, City manager Pep Guardiola seemed just as disappointed with his own side.

City have made a habit of losing from winning positions late on in games this season, and after Erling Haaland’s penalty in the final 15 minutes, Real Madrid turned it around through Brahim Diaz and Jude Bellingham.

“It has happened many times because I can’t find the solution. It has happened many times. It has been the year that Madrid has been better, we had a good result and we have let it go,” he told Diario AS after the game.

“There is a lower chance of going through than before the tie started, of course. The match was even. Sometimes the team is better and things don’t work out. We started well, we were good with the ball. In the second half we didn’t find the passes we needed. After 2-1, what has happened many times this season happened. We give it away. At this level, it is very difficult. “t’s not the first time unfortunately.”

Photo by Jason Cairnduff / Action Images via Reuters

Guardiola had little in the way of solutions on how to better close out games, with two giveaways in their own half leading to Los Blancos’ goals.

“We have talked about it, it is difficult to handle, but the fact is that it happens to us a lot. When you win 2-1, you don’t know whether to go forward or drop back, it’s normal. The players made their decisions in the moment and sometimes they work out and sometimes they don’t. We will try to improve for other games.”

He did have kind words for Real Madrid, who he felt had played some of their best football over the history of recent clashes between the two.

“Madrid played very well, they had chances, they linked up better than in other games. We didn’t know how to handle it. We could have won, but we couldn’t hold onto the result. I have been here for many years and we have been an extraordinary team, but right now I am not able to handle this situation. It happens to us a lot.”

“It is always misunderstood, but of all the games we have played, it has been their best against us.”