Pep Guardiola accepts PSG were better after Manchester City’s collapse

PARIS – Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola appeared resigned to the fact that his side were resoundingly outplayed by Paris Saint-Germain in a 4-2 loss that leaves their Champions League knockout hopes in doubt – a prospect that seemed unthinkable in recent campaigns.

Guardiola’s men squandered a two-goal lead at the Parc des Princes on Jan 22, as PSG struck four times in the second half. The result dropped City to 25th in the standings, one spot outside the play-off qualifying positions.

They need to win when they host Club Brugge in a nerve-jangling finale of the league phase on Jan 29.

“We had our moments and they had their moments, but they were better. They were quicker, faster, they won the duels, we could not cope. The best team won. The game was never like we wanted,” the 54-year-old Spaniard told TNT Sports.

“To defend the result, you have to keep the ball – we didn’t have it. They had it more, they attacked better, that’s why it was more difficult.”

The loss was reminiscent of City’s shocking collapse against Feyenoord in November, when they surrendered a three-goal lead late in the game to draw 3-3.

When asked about the possibility of City – Champions League victors in 2023 – not going through, Guardiola said: “It could happen. We will see. If we don’t win (against Brugge), we don’t deserve it.

“All the away games we have are difficult, but it’s the reality.”

Rio Ferdinand, former Manchester United defender turned pundit, said it would be an embarrassment for the English Premier League titans to fail to advance.

“I think Manchester City, with all the success they’ve had in recent years, have put them into a position where people expect them to get minimum into the knockout stages,” he said on the TNT broadcast.

“I think (City) will take it as an embarrassment, because they see themselves as a team that should get into the latter stages and they’ve demanded that of their team for the last few years.”

Guardiola, who spent much of the match waving his arms in frustration, said the game was lost in the midfield, where his squad are sorely missing Ballon d’Or winner Rodri.

“In football, everything happens in the middle. We have a last chance at home, we’ll do everything there,” he said.

PSG coach Luis Enrique, Guardiola’s good friend and former teammate at Barcelona, said the result was a huge boost to his team.

“Take the ball to one of the best teams in the world was our objective, and we achieved it. That was our idea, to be dangerous, to attack the spaces when they opened up and I think we got what we wanted,” he said. “If we can do that at Manchester City, we can do it against a lot of teams.”

City were seeking to continue a revival which had seen them win four and draw one of their last five matches after a run of one victory in 13 in 2024.

Substitute Jack Grealish opened the scoring five minutes into the second stanza. Three minutes later, it was 2-0 when Matheus Nunes drove forward and found Grealish, whose cutback was diverted by Joao Neves into the path of Erling Haaland, leaving the Norwegian with a tap-in for his 23rd goal this term.

PSG got one back on 56 minutes, Bradley Barcola powering forward and setting up Ousmane Dembele to sweep a shot past Ederson.

The equaliser arrived shortly after and this time, Barcola was the scorer, turning in the rebound after Desire Doue’s shot hit the bar. They went ahead on 78 minutes, Neves finding himself completely free to head in Vitinha’s free kick at the back post.

The scoring was wrapped up in stoppage time when substitute Goncalo Ramos netted with the last kick of the game, the celebrations being put on hold until a lengthy video assistant referee check was completed.

There was some good news for City on Jan 23, as they announced the signing of Eintracht Frankfurt’s Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush for a reported initial fee of around £59 million (S$98.6 million).

The 25-year-old, whose contract is understood to include a potential further £4.2 million in add-ons, has signed a 4½-year contract with the Premier League champions.

He is City’s third signing of the January transfer window, following the arrivals of defenders Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis. REUTERS, AFP