Another complicated evening for Pep Guardiola and Manchester City in the Champions League.
As has often happened in recent seasons, this time too the Catalan "maestro" seemed more vulnerable and more ordinary when facing the difficult challenge against Real Madrid at the "Bernabéu", a venue which still seems to be preventing City from total dominance in Europe.
After a historic season with three trophies in 2022/23, Guardiola's team again failed to repeat their previous successes and now risk elimination in the round of 16.
While the Spanish coach tried a bold tactical formula – defending very high, applying pressure all over the pitch and using only two midfielders to stem the destructive waves of the home team – the result spoke clearly.
3-0 in favor of Real thanks to Federico Valverde's hat-trick in the first half, leaving Guardiola with a lot to think about and a feeling that to get the situation back under control in the return match at the "Etihad Stadium" it will take something extraordinary.
As has often happened when it comes to the atmosphere of the most prestigious stadium in Europe, the Bernabéu seems to "tame" even the greatest coaches - just as it once happened to the legend Johan Cruyff, today it happened to another "maestro".
The challenges against Real Madrid seem to bring Guardiola to another dimension, more human and sensitive, where all the team's weaknesses can be exposed.
The result itself and City's performance showed a team that failed to create enough danger and was punished by the efficiency of the Spaniards, who also took advantage of several empty spaces in the English defense.
In this context, only a miracle – a difficult upset in England – can save Guardiola's dream of another major European title this season. /Express newspaper
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