Guardiola declines to criticize Manchester City players after draw, says 'it is what it is'
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola (53) is not one to assign blame to his players, and despite a disastrous 3-3 draw at home against Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday, where they squandered a three-goal advantage, the Spaniard continued to support his team.
City now finds themselves in unfamiliar territory, currently experiencing a six-match winless streak after arriving at the Etihad Stadium for Tuesday's encounter following five consecutive defeats, including a 4-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur the previous weekend.
The evening proved to be another disheartening one, as defensive errors allowed Feyenoord to score three times within a span of 15 minutes, transforming what could have been a morale-boosting match for City into a disappointing affair.
"It was unnecessary to address the players; they are fully aware of the situation," Guardiola remarked. "It is what it is, and it is difficult to accept at this moment. We particularly gave away the first goal, and after that, we were not stable enough."
A brace from Erling Haaland and a goal from Ilkay Gundogan had the home supporters in high spirits until Anis Hadj Moussa reduced the deficit for Feyenoord in the 75th minute, capitalizing on a poor back pass from Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol.
Another careless pass from the 22-year-old led to Santiago Gimenez scoring to make it 3-2 seven minutes later, before David Hancko equalized for the Dutch side in the 89th minute.
"He is very young and will learn from this experience," Guardiola commented on Gvardiol, who appeared visibly upset after Feyenoord's second goal. "It would be wrong of me to single him out. He is an exceptional player and a wonderful individual who needs support now more than ever."
As the match concluded, the crowd expressed their discontent with boos directed at City, who have fallen to 15th place in the 36-team standings with eight points, two points shy of the top eight that qualify automatically for the last 16, while the next 16 teams will enter a two-leg playoff for a chance to join them.
"They come here not to reminisce about past successes but to witness the team win," Guardiola stated regarding the disheartened City fans. "They are entirely justified in expressing their feelings. Naturally, they are disappointed."
Feyenoord's manager, Brian Priske, expressed immense pride following his team's historic achievement in the Champions League, becoming the first team to secure a draw after being down by three goals as late as the 75th minute.
"I truly appreciate the concept of resilience, and that is precisely what these players embody," he remarked.
Meanwhile, Guardiola's squad is set to face a significant challenge this Sunday as they travel to confront Premier League leaders Liverpool. A defeat in this match would place City 11 points behind the Reds.
When questioned about his ability to motivate his players for such a formidable task, Guardiola responded, "We must, we must. It is my responsibility."
SportsLigue