Pep Guardiola Acknowledges Real Madrid’s Strength and Looks Ahead to Next Season
Following Manchester City’s exit from the UEFA Champions League, manager Pep Guardiola spoke candidly about the performance of Real Madrid and, in particular, the impact of Kylian Mbappé. The French forward played a key role in Madrid’s victory, demonstrating his world-class ability on the biggest stage. However, Guardiola was keen to emphasize that Madrid’s success was not down to just one player but rather the collective strength of the team.
“Not just him, they have a lot of players, a fantastic team. Just congratulations to them, they deserve to go through,” Guardiola stated, acknowledging the quality of the opposition.
The defeat marks a rare disappointment for Guardiola’s Manchester City, who have been one of the most dominant forces in Europe in recent years. This season, however, the team struggled to reach the same heights that saw them lift their first-ever Champions League trophy. The City boss admitted that his side was not at their best throughout the competition.
“It’s the first year we didn’t make a good Champions League, accept it, fight for next season to be here again,” he added, signaling City’s intent to come back stronger in the next campaign.
While City’s European journey ends in disappointment, the focus now shifts back to domestic competitions. Guardiola and his squad will need to regroup quickly as they aim to secure the Premier League title and other silverware. With the club’s high standards, this setback will only serve as further motivation to reclaim their place among Europe’s elite next season.
The question remains: How will Manchester City respond to this early exit, and what changes could Guardiola implement to ensure they come back stronger next year?