Pep Guardiola shares what he told the Man City players at halftime vs Real Madrid

Redaction Simon Brett with James Thompson
Published on 2024-04-10 14:30:00

Guardiola shared with his Manchester City players at halftime of their draw against Real Madrid, urging them to be more calm, move less, be safer with the ball, and attack outside the areas. Despite finding themselves 2-1 down at halftime, City managed to come back and secure a 3-3 draw to set up a crucial second-leg quarter-final tie at the Etihad Stadium. Guardiola emphasized the importance of playing their own way correctly, both on and off the ball, to ensure they don’t face the same problems they did in the first leg.

In the first half of the game, City had 63% possession with four attempts at goal, while Real Madrid had 37% possession but registered more attempts at goal. The Citizens scored two goals in the second half through Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol, but were pegged back by Federico Valverde to settle for a draw. Looking ahead to the second-leg showdown at the Etihad, Guardiola and his players will need to capitalize on their experience from the first leg and ensure they play their game correctly to overcome Real Madrid.

While City conceded two deflected goals in quick succession after taking the lead, a draw at such a tough away ground is still a decent result. The focus now shifts to the second leg, where Guardiola and his players will aim to use their experience from the first leg to secure a place in the Champions League semi-finals. With a crucial tie awaiting them at the Etihad, City will need to execute their game plan effectively to ensure they progress to the next round.

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