Pep Guardiola conveyed his dissatisfaction to Manchester City players, labeling the defensive lapses against Chelsea and RB Leipzig as abnormal. Despite a stronger defensive display against Liverpool, City found themselves 2-0 down at halftime against Leipzig before a second-half comeback secured a 3-2 victory. Lois Openda exploited defensive vulnerabilities, scoring both goals on swift breakaways.
Guardiola acknowledged the anomaly of conceding four goals against Chelsea, stressing the need for improvement compared to their solid defensive performance last season. Reflecting on the Liverpool game, Guardiola praised the team’s choices against fast players but highlighted unnecessary nervousness leading to Ruben Dias’ first yellow card.
While Dias escaped a second yellow, Guardiola expressed frustration at his starting center defenders losing individual duels, a departure from their strengths during the previous season’s treble-winning campaign. He emphasized the importance of winning duels and attributed individual mistakes to their defensive lapses.
Guardiola admitted being caught off guard by RB Leipzig’s five-man defense and criticized the team’s pushing before halftime. Despite the challenges, he praised the positive reaction in the second half and credited substitutes Julian Alvarez and Jeremy Doku for their impactful contributions.
City’s manager recognized the need to understand and learn from the mistakes, suggesting that the fortunate win against Leipzig could be beneficial for future performances. Guardiola pointed out the team’s ability to make comebacks, emphasizing the psychological advantage when scoring early in the second half.
Looking ahead to the Champions League last-16 in February, Guardiola highlighted the importance of showcasing their comeback prowess in the second leg. In conclusion, he commended the team’s resilience, strategic adjustments, and the crucial win in advancing as group winners.
