Pep Guardiola hits out at unrealistic expectations after Manchester City draw with RB Leipzig in Champions League
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Updated 23/02/2023 at 09:54 GMT
Expecting Manchester City to beat RB Leipzig 5-0 is "not a reality", Pep Guardiola said after his side were held to a 1-1 draw in Germany. The Premier League side went in front through Riyad Mahrez but an improved performance from the hosts after the break was rewarded when Josko Gvardiol headed in an equaliser. Guardiola insisted he was happy with his side's full performance.
'They are quicker & better than us' - Guardiola after 1-1 draw with Leipzig
Pep Guardiola insists he was happy with Manchester City’s performance in their 1-1 Champions League draw against RB Leipzig and hit out at unrealistic expectations that his side would claim an easy win.
The Premier League champions went in front through Riyad Mahrez in the first half, but were pegged back by a Josko Gvardiol header as the hosts improved after the break.
The two sides will face off for a place in the quarter-finals in the second leg in Manchester on March 14, and Guardiola defended his team’s 90-minute performance in Germany.
"I am happy for the whole game, not just the first half,” the City manager told BT Sport.
“What do you expect? That we play a friendly game here? How many games have you seen from Leipzig? You expect us to come here and win 5-0?
“That is not a reality. This is a competition that in the group stage many important teams are out. It is difficult.
“We are a good team and we do many, many good things. We continued to do this. People expect us to come here and win 4-0, I am sorry we are not able to do this.”
Asked about what changed at half-time to alter the momentum of the match, Guardiola said: "They made a step forward and pressed higher and we had more problems to make the build-up.
“After the goal we conceded we came back and played a good last 15-20 minutes. We had good chances in both halves and a good result, and we go to decide it in Manchester.”
Guardiola resisted the temptation to make any substitutions in the entire match, despite having five changes at his disposal.
He was the first manager to make no changes during a Champions League knockout game since Barcelona in a 2-0 last-16 first-leg win over Arsenal in February 2016.
"I saw the team good, especially in the middle,” Guardiola explained.
“I thought about Phil [Foden]. In the end, I decide to continue with what I have, especially the back four. Bernardo [Silva] was giving a lot of control in the middle.”
City have now drawn their last two games 1-1, after earning the same score against Nottingham Forest last weekend.
They return to Premier League duties on Saturday, when they travel to Bournemouth.
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