- Guardiola acknowledges City’s decline, saying “nothing is eternal” after Champions League exit.
- Mbappé’s hat-trick stuns City, as Real Madrid advances with a dominant 6-3 aggregate win.
- Haaland left on the bench, with Guardiola citing fitness concerns amid City’s struggles.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admitted that “nothing is eternal” after his team was eliminated from the Champions League by Real Madrid.
Under Guardiola, City have enjoyed immense success, securing six Premier League titles and winning their first-ever European Cup in 2023. However, this season has proven to be one of the most challenging of his tenure, with the club slipping out of the domestic title race amid an injury crisis and now exiting Europe after Wednesday’s defeat in Madrid.
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“Nothing lasts forever,” Guardiola said. “We’ve been unbelievable, but now we must take things step by step and improve from today. In the past, we were extraordinarily dominant, but that’s not the case anymore. We have 13 Premier League games left and must secure a top-four or top-five finish to qualify for the Champions League again.”
City, who suffered a narrow 3-2 defeat in the first leg at the Etihad, were comprehensively outplayed in Madrid. Kylian Mbappé’s stunning hat-trick propelled the hosts to a 3-1 victory, sealing a 6-3 aggregate triumph.
“We struggled to contain Mbappé’s movement, and that made it even more difficult,” Guardiola acknowledged. “The best team won. They deserved it. Now, we have to accept reality and move forward.”
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City’s attacking woes were compounded by the absence of Erling Haaland, who was not fully fit due to injury. The Norwegian striker was named on the bench but did not warm up or feature in the match, despite his team’s need for goals.
“Erling tried to train,” Guardiola said.
“Apparently with the images we have done he is fine but he had discomfort walking. He said I am not ready, I don’t feel good.”
