In the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, Manchester City lost 1-2 to Real Madrid at home and were eliminated with an aggregate score of 1-5. After the match, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was interviewed by CBS Sports reporters.
Reporter: Coach, this wasn't the best night and the result wasn't ideal, but I thought you played very well. Down a man against Real Madrid, you still created 22 shots, and their goalkeeper made 7 saves. Regardless of the result, there must be many things you can be proud of about your team.
Guardiola: So I disagree with you saying "it wasn't a great night". My only feeling now is: what would have happened if it had been 11 vs 11? We played well in the first 60 minutes in Madrid, and it was the same today. Even with 10 men against 11, we still created many chances. We always maintained the right rhythm, didn't attack blindly to close a three-goal deficit, but controlled the game. We kept winning the ball back, and players with talent kept creating threats. We created many opportunities, but Thibaut Courtois made crucial saves once again.
Later, being 0-4 down on aggregate and playing with 10 men against 11, this once again demonstrates the capabilities this team has possessed over the past decade. Their performance was incredible, truly outstanding.
Reporter: How difficult was it for you to be down a man after just 20 minutes in such an important match? As a manager, how did you make adjustments in that situation?
Guardiola: It was indeed very difficult, as we were already 0-4 down on aggregate, an almost impossible task. But we still tried to do it. In the final stages of the game, we conceded from an attack, and they created chances on the counter-attack – that's normal, because they are very fast. Not just Vinícius, but also Federico Valverde and the midfield players, their transitions are excellent. I have to admit that.
But I always had that feeling: if it had been 11 vs 11, the game would have been completely different. Because I felt the team was in good form, these Champions League nights are special. But playing with 10 men against 11 is definitely much harder.
Reporter: You started making substitutions later, like taking off Erling Haaland. Was that also with Sunday's cup final in mind?
Guardiola: Yes. Around the 35-minute mark, I spoke with the coaching staff: we needed to bring on fresh players to inject new energy. But at the same time, we still wanted players like Jeremy Doku to create threats – he was outstanding today.
Reporter: One last question, about Abdukodir Khusanov. How did he perform today?
Guardiola: Not just today, he has been consistently excellent. He is a vital asset for the club for the next decade. You can't imagine, he just became a father a week ago. I've seen his baby, but he didn't even ask for time off to be with his family; he chose to stay with the team. Hopefully, he can have time to see his family next week.
