Man City handed two fresh injury concerns as £115m duo forced off ahead of Newcastle United & Liverpool
Manchester City were beaten 3-2 by Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has defended goalkeeper Ederson after Tuesday’s 3-2 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid with the Premier League champions facing two more injury blows on a costly night at the Etihad Stadium.
Erling Haaland put the hosts ahead after 19 minutes but Kylian Mbappe hauled Madrid level on the hour as his miscued finish found the back of the net. Haaland put City back in front from the penalty spot in the 80th minute after Phil Foden was fouled. However, Brahim Diaz struck six minutes later before Jude Bellingham finished from close range in stoppage time to snatch the win.
Ederson made two costly errors for Madrid’s final two goals as a loose pass allowed the visitors to regain possession before equalising and he then rushed off his line late on only for Vinicius Jr to knock the ball past him and allow Bellingham to finish in the empty net.
Guardiola defends Ederson
“It’s the fourth time we played in a row against Madrid here and in the three previous we were much, much better than them but today was tight and in certain times they had chances and Ederson was our best player,” Guardiola reflected.
“Sometimes it happens that a team is better and the result doesn’t work. I think they started well for 15 minutes and after we took the game and we were really good with the ball. In the second half, we could not make the passes that we needed to play. We wanted to attack so quickly but when we attack so quick with the strikers that they have it’s more difficult.
“After it was 2-1 but it happened too much this season. In many games it happened, against Feyernoord, Sporting Lisbon, Brentford in the Premier League Man United, many games we gave away. We have to look at ourselves and at this level it’s so difficult. It’s not the first time unfortunately it happened many times and that’s why it’s so difficult.”
City facing two more injury concerns
Jack Grealish was given the nod to start the game and his pass over the top of the Madrid defence helped create the opening goal as Joško Gvardiol knocked down the pass for Haaland to finish. The goal was the subject of a lengthy VAR check but Haaland had managed to just stay onside as he remained behind the ball when it was put into his path.
Grealish was then forced off before the half-time whistle while Manuel Akanji then appeared to pick up a knock but managed to continue until the interval. He did not come back out, however with Guardiola’s side facing Newcastle United on Saturday before their return leg with Madrid on Wednesday, February 19. City then host Liverpool and travel to Tottenham Hotspur before the end of February. Guardiola was coy when asked if either Grealish or Akanji would be fit for the return leg against Madrid as he simply replied: “I don’t know.”
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City were already without the likes of Rodri and Oscar Bobb for the visit of Madrid but their injury crisis did appear to be easing with the returns of Nathan Ake and Ruben Dias in recent weeks.