Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has described his side’s 3-3 draw in the Champions League against Feyenoord on Tuesday as feeling like another defeat, after his team squandered a commanding 3-0 lead in the final 15 minutes.
The result ended City’s five-game losing streak, but it did little to lift the mood ahead of their upcoming Premier League clash against leaders Liverpool on Sunday.
For Guardiola, the collapse against Feyenoord marked an alarming continuation of defensive vulnerabilities that have plagued his team in recent weeks. Despite a dominant performance for much of the match, including two goals from Erling Haaland and a deflected strike from Ilkay Gundogan, City allowed Feyenoord to come back in dramatic fashion. Anis Hadj Moussa, Santiago Gimenez, and David Hancko scored in quick succession for the Dutch side, forcing the English champions to settle for a draw.
“We concede a lot of goals because we are not stable,” Guardiola said, reflecting on the defensive lapses.
“We give them the first and the other ones and that is why it is difficult.”
It was the first time City had failed to win a match they led by three goals since 1989, and the first time it had happened in the final 15 minutes of a Champions League game. Guardiola acknowledged that his side’s fragility was evident, especially after the promising 3-0 lead.
“We lost a lot of games lately. We are fragile and of course, we need a victory,” he added. “The game (at 3-0) was good for the confidence, playing at a good level, and the first time something happens, we have problems.”
City now find themselves in a precarious position in the Champions League group stage. With just two wins from their opening five matches, they are 15th in the 36-team table, one point ahead of Feyenoord in 20th. With crucial away games against Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain still to come, City must now fight for qualification.
Guardiola’s side also face an uphill battle in the Premier League, where they are already eight points behind leaders Liverpool. The City manager had previously acknowledged that an 11-point gap would be too much to overcome, even for a team that has dominated English football with four consecutive titles.
When asked about how to recover from the disappointing draw, Guardiola suggested a brief mental reset: “Rest one or two days, clear the head mentally, and think of the next (game).”
Defender Nathan Ake echoed his manager’s sentiments, calling on the squad to show more mental resilience in these testing times. Ake, who was substituted as part of a triple change when City were comfortably 3-0 up, admitted the dramatic shift in momentum had left the players feeling deflated.
“At 3-0 up, we played quite well, had the game under control, and it all changed,” Ake said.
“We have to remain mentally stronger. When you are 3-0 up, it feels like a defeat. It’s a tough night, but the only thing we can do is look forward to the next one. It’s another challenge we have to overcome.”
The pressure on Guardiola and his team will only increase as they prepare for a tough trip to Anfield to face Liverpool, with their defensive concerns and recent form threatening to undermine their season ambitions.
