MY ACCOUNT
Pep Guardiola wants Manchester City to go on the offensive at the Bernabeu after edging Real Madrid last night.
The Citizens will take a narrow advantage to Spain after coming out on top in an entertaining 4-3 first-leg win at the Etihad last night.
Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva netted for the hosts but a Karim Benzema double and sensational solo goal from Vinicius Junior mean the Champions League semi-final is far from over.
And while the Spanish boss was delighted with the attacking football his team executed, he is well aware they cannot afford to rest on their laurels in the Spanish capital.
The 51-year-old said: “It was a fantastic game for both sides. We did many good things. Unfortunately we conceded goals and we could not score more.
“We played a fantastic game against an incredible team. The moments where they rise and come back into the game in the first half I think we gave them as our build-up was so nervous.
“Normally we are so safe and so good. Also they press really good and strong. All around the world and for Manchester City, we are so proud.
“But it is about reaching the final and sometimes football happens. We go to Madrid to try to win the game.”
City have been on the wrong end of their fair share of thrillers in the past as they continue their pursuit of a first-ever Champions League triumph.
In 2019, they were knocked out in dramatic style after Spurs came from behind to lead before Raheem Sterling’s stoppage-time winner was ruled out by VAR.
And with Real themselves involved in their own topsy-turvy victory over Chelsea in the last round, the Spanish boss knows City should not book their flights to Paris for the final just yet.
He added: “We went out of the Champions League to Tottenham when [Fernando] Llorente [scored] with the hand. Today it is a hand for [Aymeric] Laporte. It happens.
“All we can do is perform as we perform. The quality of Real Madrid is such they can punish you.
“What we have done with the ball and without the ball, creating chances and chances and chances I can’t ask anything else. I say to the players to rest.
“Leeds now is the most important thing and we go to Madrid to win. Both teams want to attack and have the quality to play. Football is a fantastic spectacle.
“Congratulations to Carlo [Ancelotti] and his team as they are so good. At the same time, we saw ourselves that we can be there.”
Despite losing, Real will be pleased that they are still in the tie after spending much of Tuesday’s encounter in danger of being blown away by City’s stars.
Manager Ancelotti told BT Sport: “As a supporter of football it was a fantastic game. As manager of Real Madrid, I think I have to take into consideration we scored three goals and that was really important, but we didn’t defend so well.
“We conceded two goals so early in the game and then we were able to react really well. We kept the game open until the end and of course now we have a great dream to play the second game in the Bernabeu and have the chance to go to the final.
“The first 20 minutes were really difficult but after that, slowly we were able to come back into the game and keep qualification open.
“We are going to play against a really strong team. They showed fantastic quality today but we competed and we have to compete more in our stadium.”
