Pep Guardiola admits Manchester City ‘have to accept’ their ‘struggles’ against top teams after a shocking collapse in their crucial Champions League defeat to PSG!

Pep Guardiola acknowledges that Manchester City “must accept” their difficulties against top teams following a dramatic collapse in their critical Champions League loss to PSG. The 2023 European champions, Manchester City, suffered a crushing 4-2 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain after losing a two-goal advantage.

This disappointing result leaves Guardiola’s team on the verge of elimination from the Champions League group stages. A loss to Club Brugge, ranked 25th in the 36-team standings, would risk an early exit from the tournament.

Reflecting on the setback, Guardiola admitted that his team couldn’t match the intensity of Luis Enrique’s PSG, especially in a tough environment. “They had better intensity to win duels, and we suffered,” he noted. “We struggle against the big teams and on the big stages. We must accept this reality. This is our last chance to beat Bruges, and if we fail, it’s because we don’t deserve it.”

City’s struggles this season have been characterized by a concerning tendency to lose leads. They have dropped points in nine matches where they were initially ahead—more than any other Premier League team. In Europe, they’ve lost leads in three of their last four games, exposing their defensive weaknesses.

Guardiola linked these recurring issues to a lack of control in midfield, explaining that his team often struggles after conceding. “We can’t play well unless we defend with the ball,” he commented. “The extra pass, keeping possession—that’s what we’re missing. The connection between Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic was either poor or non-existent, and that made it difficult to maintain control. I tried different solutions, but we couldn’t hold onto the ball.”

Compounding City’s problems, defender Ruben Dias was forced to leave the field at halftime due to an injury, leaving the club waiting for an update ahead of their next Premier League match against Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium.

Jack Grealish, who netted the opening goal against PSG, shared his manager’s views. He acknowledged that City’s vulnerable position in the competition is partly due to disappointing home draws against Feyenoord and Inter Milan. “We’ve been ahead by one, two, or even three goals too many times this season, but we haven’t been able to maintain control and finish the game,” Grealish stated.

The England international also expressed confusion over the team’s unusual struggles this season. “It’s strange because we’ve managed these situations so well in previous years. Maybe it’s a confidence issue. But it’s up to us to change that. We have the quality to hold onto leads, but we haven’t been doing that, and it’s on us to fix it.”