‘All Good Things Come to an End’ as Guardiola laments ‘Worst’ Man City season

Pep Guardiola admitted that Manchester City need a rebuild after his side was eliminated from the Champions League by a Kylian Mbappé hat-trick, with Real Madrid advancing to the last 16 with a 6-3 aggregate victory.

Mbappé’s clinical performance secured a 3-1 second-leg win for Madrid on Wednesday, but much of the damage had already been done in the first leg, where City conceded two late goals to lose 3-2 at home.

This marks the third time in four seasons that City has been knocked out by the Spanish giants, and the first time since Guardiola took charge in 2016 that the English champions have failed to reach the quarter-finals.

City had a tougher route this season, finishing 22nd in the 36-team group stage table and barely advancing to the knockout rounds.

Guardiola, speaking to Spanish TV station Movistar, reflected on the team’s poor performance in the competition.

“The better team won,” he said. “We have had a bad year in the competition. If you finish 22nd, it is because we haven’t been right. It has been our worst year.”

Injuries have played a significant role in City’s struggles, with key players sidelined.

Erling Haaland was unavailable for the second leg due to a knee injury, and John Stones was forced off early in the match.

City’s only goal in the second leg came from their January signing Nico Gonzalez, who scored after a free-kick from Omar Marmoush hit the crossbar.

Guardiola emphasized that a rebuild had already begun, with the club investing £170 million ($214 million) in new players during the mid-season transfer window.

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This included bringing in Marmoush, Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov, and Vitor Reis.

Guardiola also acknowledged the successful era under his leadership, saying, “Nothing lasts forever, and in the group there are players that have marked an era.

We cannot deny what this group of players have done, winning six Premier Leagues in seven years given what that competition is.”

He continued, “In Europe always getting to the quarter-finals, semi-finals, final. It says a lot about what we have done.”

Looking ahead, Guardiola praised Real Madrid’s current strength, stating, “This year we faced the best Madrid. In the previous ones, going through or not, we were very good.

They are better because they are able to have the ball for long spells, can run, can defend well with a high line when they want, but also defend well with men behind the ball. You have to congratulate them.”