Pep Guardiola insisted through gritted teeth that Manchester City's defeat and elimination at the hands of Real Madrid was not his last stand in the Champions League. Which is just as well, because this was not a fitting way for him to say goodbye to a competition that he took to a whole new level with Barcelona and has won three times in total, only trailing Carlo Ancelotti.
Pep Guardiola has officially surpassed Sir Alex Ferguson to claim second place for the most games managed in Champions League history. However, this historic milestone was heavily overshadowed by a bitter reality, as his Manchester City side crashed out of the competition following a 5-1 aggregate defeat to Spanish giants Real Madrid in the round of 16.
Pep Guardiola is a big fan of Phil Foden, but has recently been playing the 25-year-old far less often at Manchester City. The winger has yet to score a goal in 2026.
With Manchester City trailing Real Madrid 3-0 ahead of the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, you might have assumed Pep Guardiola would spend the day before the game at the Etihad Stadium running through tactical instructions with his squad or delivering motivational messages to help them overhaul this daunting deficit against the kings of European football. You would certainly not have imagined the coach would give his players a day off.
Pep Guardiola has made a surprising admission when explaining why he has given his Manchester City players the day off 24 hours before facing Real Madrid in their Champions League last-16 second leg. City lost the first leg 3-0 in Madrid and are hoping to become only the fifth team in the competition's modern history to overturn a deficit of three goals or more.
Pep Guardiola has issued an ultimatum to his Manchester City squad, telling any players who doubt their ability to stage a historic Champions League comeback to "stay at home". Facing a daunting three-goal deficit against Real Madrid, the Catalan manager is demanding total belief from his side. City must overcome both their recent poor form and a dismal historical record in first-leg recovery missions to keep their European dreams alive.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has offered a staunch defence of Erling Haaland, claiming the striker occupies "the most difficult position on the planet" after another scoreless outing against West Ham. The Norway international has seen his usually prolific output stall in 2026, a stark contrast to his blistering start to the campaign.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has never been one to shy away from tactical scrutiny, often acknowledging the noise surrounding his team selections. Following the stalemate at the London Stadium, the spotlight has fallen firmly on his handling of Rayan Cherki, whose impact as a substitute stood in stark contrast to the starters' output.
Manchester City’s hopes of recapturing the Premier League crown took a significant hit against West Ham, leaving them trailing Mikel Arteta's Arsenal by nine points. While City still hold a game in hand over the Gunners, the stalemate at London Stadium felt like a missed opportunity to pile pressure on title-chasing rivals. Despite the growing gap and City’s recent inconsistency, Pep Guardiola remains adamant that the race is still alive.
Alan Shearer has sharply criticised Pep Guardiola after Manchester City suffered a 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid. Shearer expressed his surprise at the line-up, which indicated Guardiola's preference for an attacking style of play when facing a team of Real Madrid's stature away from home. The Newcastle United legend says City "got what they deserved" in the end, given their tactics and approach to the game.
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.
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.
Manchester City have a mountain to climb in the Champions League after slumping to a 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid in the first leg of their last 16 tie at the Bernabeu. Pep Guardiola raised eyebrows with his team selection in the Spanish capital and saw his team simply swept away by Los Blancos, with Fede Valverde stealing the show for the hosts with a brilliant first-half hat-trick.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has once again fueled speculation regarding his future at the Etihad Stadium, dropping a fresh hint that his storied coaching career could be reaching its natural conclusion. The 55-year-old, who has transformed the landscape of English football since 2016, is under contract until 2027, but the narrative surrounding an early exit continues to gather momentum.
