Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola stated that "nothing is immortal" after his team was eliminated from the Champions League by Real Madrid. His remarks hinted at the challenges currently facing the team, as well as the ever-changing nature of the football world.
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02-24, 2025Under Guardiola's leadership, Manchester City has achieved tremendous success, including six Premier League titles and the 2023 Champions League title. However, the team has encountered unprecedented tests this season, losing ground in the domestic league title race due to an injury crisis, and now exiting the European stage after the loss in Madrid.
"Nothing is immortal," Guardiola said. "We have always behaved incredibly, and we have to try to be better step by step from today. We were exceptional in the past, but that is no longer the case. We have 13 [Premier League] games left and must finish in the top four or five to participate in the [Champions League] again."
After narrowly winning the first leg of the knockout stage 3-2 at home, Manchester City underperformed in Madrid, with Mbappe scoring a hat-trick and the home side easily advancing with a 3-1 score, 6-3 on aggregate. Guardiola added, "We couldn't defend Mbappe's runs well, which made it even more difficult. The best team won, and they deserved it. They performed better. All we have to do is accept reality and move on."
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, not fully recovered from injury, was listed as a substitute. The Norwegian international did not participate in the warm-up, and he was not brought on despite the team trailing. Guardiola said, "Erling tried to train. Obviously, according to the images we took, he was fine, but he felt discomfort when he walked. He said I'm not ready, I don't feel good."
