Manchester City's Champions League exit saw key players Haaland and De Bruyne request substitutions, impacting their penalty shootout chances.
Manchester City suffered a setback in their Champions League campaign as they were knocked out by Real Madrid on penalties in the quarter-finals. Manager Pep Guardiola revealed that Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne requested to be substituted due to their inability to continue, impacting City's penalty shootout prospects.
Haaland and De Bruyne’s Substitutions:
Erling Haaland, City's leading scorer and regular penalty taker, along with Kevin De Bruyne, who scored the equalizer, both signaled their inability to continue before the penalty shootout. Their absence from the crucial shootout deprived City of their key options, ultimately contributing to their defeat.
The Penalty Shootout Drama:
Despite dominating the game for 120 minutes, City couldn't find a breakthrough against Real Madrid's resilient defense. Substitutes Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic failed to convert their penalties, while Real Madrid's goalkeeper Andriy Lunin made crucial saves, sealing City's fate and sending Madrid through to the semi-finals.
Guardiola's Reflection:
Despite the disappointment, Guardiola expressed no regrets about City's performance, emphasizing their dominance throughout the match. He acknowledged Real Madrid's defensive solidity and praised his team's efforts but lamented their inability to convert chances into goals, resulting in their elimination from the competition.
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