After debacle at Arsenal
Guardiola serves: “Can’t defend my players”
03.02.2025 – 11:36 a.m.Reading time: 2 min.
The Spanish successful trainer experiences his most difficult season with Manchester City. After the violent rub in the top game of the Premier League, Guardiola found clear words.
After the clear defeat against Arsenal, Manchester City stands before troubled days. At 1: 5 (0: 1) in London, the team of Pep Guardiola literally fell apart in a weak final phase – much to the trouble of the coach.
“We crashed in the last 20 minutes,” said Guardiola after the game and announced talks with his players. “Hopefully that doesn’t happen again. You always have to remain serious.”
For a long time, City had held well with the “Gunners”, but towards the end it became a debacle. “I feel sorry for the last 15, 20 minutes, the rest was a really good game from our side. It is difficult to understand when you see the result, but that’s my feeling,” said Guardiola, but also admitted: ” You can’t stop as we played. “
Kai Havertz (76.) and Ethan Nwaneri (90.+3) ensured the clear final score with their goals in the final quarter of an hour. Previously, Martin Ödegaard (2nd), Thomas Partey (56.) and Myles Lewis-Skelly (62nd) had met for the Gunners, while Erling had in the meantime compensated for Haaland (55th) to 1-1.
Guardiola not only criticized his team, but also himself. “I can’t defend my players, and of course not, of course,”, “he said. At the same time, he warned that his team had to appear more stable: “We could have scored three more goals, but the team must be stable.” The team shouldn’t “lose control” either.
For City on Saturday in the FA Cup against third -division club Leyton Orient, before the champions of the Champions League against defending champion Real Madrid is due next week (February 11).