Guardiola remains positive despite ongoing Man City woes

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Pep Guardiola remained upbeat despite watching Manchester City’s alarming slump in form continue with a 2-0 defeat at Juventus in the Champions League.

The Spaniard’s side sit 22nd in the Champions League table and are at risk of missing out on the next stage of the competition with only two games left to play.

City have lost seven of their last 10 matches across all competitions (W1 D2), as many defeats as they had suffered in their previous 105 matches combined (seven).

In fact, for the first time in his managerial career, Guardiola has failed to win three consecutive matches in the group/league phase of the Champions League (D1 L2). For the Citizens, meanwhile, it is their longest such run since the 2014-15 campaign (four – D2 L2).

“We played good, really really good,” Guardiola told reporters. “So we missed the last pass, the last action, of course, some transitions happen, but I’m so proud of these players, they give everything, and they tried, and now we live in this period, and hopefully we can change and get results.

“I know it’s difficult, it’s difficult in the Champions League in Europe, but we play really good.”

City’s last two matches in the group phase are against Paris Saint-Germain and Club Brugge.

FULL-TIME | Defeat in Turin.

2-0 #ManCity | #UCL pic.twitter.com/ROvVglP0LR

— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 11, 2024

The competition’s new format sees the top eight teams after eight rounds of the league phase advance into the round of 16 and avoid a playoff, which is now almost out of reach for Guardiola’s team.

“We have two games. We need one point maybe, one victory, the last one is at home, and the situation is because the game against Feyenoord [when City gave up a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3] and especially Inter [a 0-0 draw],” the Spaniard added.

“But our three games away were really, really, really tough, and you have to accept it. And when we turn around, we don’t forget that period, we appreciate more what we have done in the past, what they are going to in the future.”

Since the start of November, City have conceded more goals across all competitions than any other team from Europe’s big five leagues (21 in nine games).

They have also gone eight games without a clean sheet away from home in all competitions; the joint-longest such run of Guardiola’s managerial career (also a run of eight in October 2016).

Unlike his manager, Ilkay Gundogan was left frustrated with the team’s performance.

“Every attack we concede is so dangerous, and we are careless in the duels,” Gundogan told TNT Sports.

“Instead of playing simple, we overcomplicate things by not timing things to pass the ball or release the ball.

“We lose balls in transition every time, giving them counter-attacks. We have to chase 60 metres back and that’s not what we’re built for. We are built for possession, to keep the ball and be strong. If you can’t do anything in the duel, don’t lose it, and it’s not working out for us.

“We know exactly what is going wrong, we know the reasons. We haven’t played bad. If you give away one chance, and they score, it’s not easy to come back.

“It’s obvious what is going wrong, it’s just trying to find that switch to turn things around. Even if we’re not getting the results, I don’t think we’re far off – which maybe sounds a little stupid, but that’s what I feel.

“If we don’t click, it’s going to be tough. Only thing we can do is for every single individual to question themselves to do better, to sacrifice more and to contribute to the team so we can collectively get better.”