Pep Guardiola has sensationally claimed he has been "massacred" for his tactical decisions following Manchester City’s humbling 3-0 Champions League defeat at the hands of Real Madrid. The Catalan coach, evidently feeling the heat after the first-leg collapse at the Bernabeu, delivered a marathon four-minute response to questions about his team selection, even going as far as to mimic gunshots with his fingers to describe the wave of online criticism he has faced.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has officially ended a surprising four-year drought by being named the Premier League Manager of the Month for February. Despite City’s relentless dominance and trophy hauls in recent seasons, the Catalan tactician had famously not picked up the individual monthly accolade since December 2021, marking a significant gap for a coach of his undisputed standing in the English game.
Speculation has mounted over Ousmane Dembele’s future after his agent met Manchester City, but transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has moved to clarify the truth. While the Ballon d'Or winner attracts Premier League interest, Romano reveals no talks are underway, leaving fans to wonder if the star stays as the cornerstone of Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint-Germain project.
James Milner has, in an exclusive interview with GOAL, explained how blending old and new school approaches have helped to make him a history-making Premier League legend. The ex-England international is a three-time title winner, with various other trophies to his name, and is still going strong at 40 years of age after mixing talent with technology.
Joan Laporta has hit out at presidential rival Victor Font for claiming he could sign Erling Haaland for Barcelona. The incumbent president accused Font of lying after the Manchester City striker's representative denied any contact with the Catalan club.
Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami have reportedly entered the race to sign Manchester City playmaker Bernardo Silva, challenging Juventus for his signature. The 31-year-old is set to leave the Etihad this summer, with a switch to MLS now emerging as one of his free transfer options.
The most significant move in the race for the Barcelona presidency was made by Victor Font, who contacted Manchester City directly to bring Erling Haaland to the Blaugrana.
Erling Haaland's agent Rafaela Pimenta has responded to Victor Font's claim that Barcelona are "working on" a potential transfer deal for the Manchester City striker. Font, who is currently running against Joan Laporta for the Barcelona presidency, has suggested that Haaland could be lured away from the Etihad Stadium, but Pimenta has sought to quash any speculation over his future.
The Premier League's quest to secure a fifth Champions League qualification spot again for next season was dealt a hammer blow this week following a string of disastrous results on Europe's elite stage. UEFA’s European Performance Spots (EPS) are awarded to the two nations whose clubs perform best across all three major European competitions, but the English top flight is suddenly looking over its shoulder.
Antonio Rudiger once again proved why he is the ultimate fan favourite at the Bernabeu following Real Madrid’s emphatic 3-0 victory over Manchester City. While many of the game's biggest stars would try to avoid fan attention after such a high-stakes Champions League clash, the Germany international embraced supporters, celebrating wildly in his car for those who had blocked his exit from the stadium.
Manuel Angel enjoyed a fairytale Champions League debut for Real Madrid against Manchester City, capped off by a heart-warming moment with his father. The 21-year-old midfielder made his European bow at the Santiago Bernabeu before securing a high-profile souvenir from a City superstar.
Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku appeared to disappear into thin air during a high-stakes Champions League clash at the Santiago Bernabeu. The bizarre broadcast error left fans across the globe questioning their eyesight as the Belgian seemed to flicker out of existence.
Almost out of nowhere, Thiago Pitarch has established himself in Real Madrid's star ensemble. Against City, he delivered a gala performance that left a world star in awe.
Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva has offered a grim assessment of the club's bruising 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid. A sensational hat-trick from Federico Valverde left the Premier League champions reeling in the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie at the Santiago Bernabeu, leaving Pep Guardiola’s side with a mountain to climb in the return leg.
Real Madrid’s 3-0 demolition of Manchester City in the Champions League last-16 was almost the perfect night for Los Blancos, but for Vinicius Junior's missed penalty that could've added further gloss to the result. In the 58th minute, after the Brazilian forward was felled in the box, cameras caught the moment Vinicius gestured towards Valverde, offering the midfielder the chance to step up and bag what would have been a remarkable fourth goal of the game.
Mario Balotelli is representing the 14th club of what has been an eventful career, with a former Italy international team-mate telling GOAL why the enigmatic striker still has “that itch” to play. Giuseppe Rossi knows what ‘Super Mario’ is all about as a performer and person, and has pointed out that - amid all of the headlines - the charismatic forward has always just wanted to play.
Jude Bellingham was caught on camera looking completely stunned as Federico Valverde tore Manchester City apart with a clinical hat-trick. The England international, watching from the stands due to injury, couldn't hide his shock at the Uruguayan’s masterclass in the Champions League.
Within a Real Madrid squad that is packed full of Galacticos, Fede Valverde is rarely singled out for what he offers to Los Blancos despite his obvious importance to the team. On Wednesday, though, he was able to hog the limelight after his stunning first-half hat-trick saw off Manchester City in the Champions League. His performance also earned him the rarest of plaudits: A 10/10 rating from L'Equipe.
Federico Valverde produced a masterclass that will go down in Champions League folklore, leading Real Madrid to a dominant 3-0 victory over Manchester City. The Uruguayan midfield engine was outstanding, netting a stunning hat-trick to help the Spanish giants put one foot in the quarter-finals. His performance was so good that a reporter in the mixed zone decided to skip the formalities and jokingly crown him with a 'Ballon d'Or' on the spot.
Real Madrid star Trent Alexander-Arnold has heaped praise on Federico Valverde, describing him as the "most underrated player" in world football following a sensational display against Manchester City. The Uruguayan international took centre stage as Los Blancos secured a dominant 3-0 victory in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at the Bernabeu. Despite the absence of Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, Valverde’s first-half hat-trick dismantled Pep Guardiola's side in a rampant 22-minute spell.
Manchester City went down to Real Madrid and faces an early exit from the Champions League. The English press had nothing good to say about Pep Guardiola and his team.
Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa showered Fede Valverde with immense praise following a commanding 3-0 win over Manchester City, describing the midfielder as the ultimate "benchmark" for the club. Arbeloa emphasised that Valverde embodies every quality a Real Madrid player should possess and remains the definitive standard-bearer for the modern era after his Champions League masterclass.
Manchester City
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
