Guardiola reveals Haaland and De Bruyne asked to come off before City’s Champions League exit

Manchester City’s dreams of Champions League glory came crashing down as they were eliminated by Real Madrid in a thrilling quarter-final tie that ended in a penalty shootout. City boss Pep Guardiola revealed that star players Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne both requested to be substituted due to injuries, leaving City short-handed in the crucial moments of the match.

Despite dominating possession and creating numerous scoring opportunities, City failed to capitalize on their chances and ultimately paid the price as Real Madrid emerged victorious. Guardiola expressed his disappointment at the result but praised his team for their efforts, acknowledging that luck was not on their side on the night.

The defeat means City’s hopes of defending their Champions League title have been dashed, along with their aspirations of achieving an historic double Treble. However, Guardiola remains focused on the upcoming FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea, knowing that his team must quickly regroup and bounce back from this setback.

Real Madrid, on the other hand, will now be considered favorites to lift the Champions League trophy for a record 15th time, with Guardiola acknowledging their quality and experience in the competition. Despite the disappointment of the defeat, Guardiola remains optimistic about his team’s performance and believes they were at their best against a formidable opponent like Real Madrid.

As City look to move on from this defeat and focus on their remaining competitions, Guardiola will be hoping that his team can learn from this experience and come back stronger in their pursuit of silverware. The road may have ended in disappointment for City in the Champions League, but there is still plenty to play for in the season ahead.