Pep Guardiola: Sends a Wakeup Call to his Players after saying ‘WE GOT WHAT WE DESERVED AGAINST PSG’

Pep Guardiola: Sends a Wakeup Call to his Players after saying ‘WE GOT WHAT WE DESERVED AGAINST PSG’

 

Pep Guardiola’s admission that Manchester City “got what they deserved” in their 4-2 defeat to Paris St Germain (PSG) is a testament to his honesty and willingness to confront harsh realities. The City manager’s words acknowledge that his team was outperformed and outmaneuvered by a superior PSG side.

 

 

 

Guardiola’s analysis of the game highlights specific areas where City fell short. He noted that PSG “were better, they were quicker” and “won the duels with the ball.” This suggests that City struggled to match PSG’s intensity and pace, particularly in midfield.

 

 

 

Guardiola’s comment that PSG “had one more in the middle” implies that City’s midfield was outnumbered or outpositioned. This vulnerability allowed PSG to dominate possession and create scoring opportunities. City’s inability to cope with PSG’s midfield press and quick transitions ultimately proved costly.

 

Guardiola’s candid assessment of the defeat provides valuable insight into City’s areas of improvement. By acknowledging their shortcomings, City can work on addressing these vulnerabilities and develop strategies to counter opponents who employ similar tactics.

 

 

 

The defeat serves as a wake-up call for Manchester City, highlighting the importance of adaptability and resilience in the face of adversity. With their Champions League campaign hanging in the balance, City must regroup and refocus ahead of their

crucial match against Club Brugge.

 

Recuperating Guardiola leads Man City sunday clash against Sheffield

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said teams have changed tactics because they are no longer intimidated by his side and that is making the Champions League campaign more difficult.

City are down in 25th place in the Champions League table, two points off the playoff spots, and Guardiola has noticed an increase in opposing teams adopting a man-marking approach.

 

 

“Everyone came to the Etihad and stayed back,” he told a press conference on Friday.

 

“The first team I saw man-marking was Neil Warnock at Cardiff. Now everybody does it. Everybody comes here, it doesn’t matter, man-to-man.

 

“They just jump on (City’s goalkeepers) Ederson or Stefan (Ortega). You have to adapt, you have to be better with the ball, otherwise you will not qualify for the Champions League.”

 

 

The Spaniard said while his side may have been outplayed by Paris St Germain in a 4-2 defeat on Wednesday, their problems were more about effective use of the ball than physicality.

 

“Speed is important, but against PSG we ran more than they did,” he said. “Our problem is with the ball. That is what we have been lacking this season.

 

“When you have the ball and you don’t pass it properly to your partner, everything is so difficult.” He stressed the importance of passing accuracy and said there was room for improvement despite the influx of new talent.

 

City signed Egypt forward Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday after bringing in 19-year-old Brazilian defender Vitor Reis and Uzbekistan defender Abdukodir Khusanov.

 

City’s recent poor form has seen them win one game in 13, and Guardiola believes Champions League qualification would be as significant an achievement as winning a trophy, especially with injuries to key players like Rodri and a depleted defence.

 

City are fifth in the Premier League, 12 points adrift of leaders Liverpool, as they prepare to host fourth-placed Chelsea on Saturday trailing the Londoners by two points.

 

Despite their struggles, Guardiola remains focused on making tactical adjustments to restore their competitive edge and a return to the Champions League via a place in the top four.

 

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