Bernardo Silva estimated that Manchester City was currently going through “a dark period” after the correction received in the den of Sporting, Tuesday in the Champions League (4-1). But the Portuguese midfielder was caught by his coach Pep Guardiola in front of the press. Enough to confirm a certain tension among the Citizens.
Three defeats in a row in three different competitions. All outside. Manchester City has just had a very complicated week. After their elimination in the round of 16 of the League Cup in the den of Tottenham (2-1), the Skyblues fell on the field of Bournemouth (2-1), before being corrected at Sporting on Tuesday in the League champions (4-1).
While they quickly opened the scoring thanks to Phil Foden, the English champions collapsed in Lisbon. In quite unexpected proportions. Facing the protégés of Ruben Amorim, who managed his last match with Sporting before joining Manchester United, Pep Guardiola's players conceded four goals, including two penalties. With a hat-trick from the inevitable Viktor Gyökeres and a missed penalty by Erling Haaland.
“In the wrong direction”
Enough to create frustration among the Citizens, unaccustomed to being mishandled in this way. “It’s disappointing because we are in a dark period at the moment,” said Bernardo Silva after the meeting. “Everything seems to be going in the wrong direction. It's difficult to find reasons for what's happening to us. It seems that this team is going in the wrong direction (…) Even when we play well, we don't capitalize on our chances and we “We concede goals too easily. We absolutely have to identify what we are not doing well and we have to improve very quickly, otherwise it will be very difficult to come back from these defeats.
An alarmist speech which does not seem to have pleased Pep Guardiola very much. The City coach took advantage of his time at a press conference to reframe Bernardo Silva. “We are not in the dark,” said the Catalan technician. “It's impossible to say it was a good performance since we lost 4-1, but the players know they played well. We were ourselves.”
Guardiola does not intend to “give up”
The Citizens boss still regretted the lack of control of his players during the meeting. On the two penalties conceded in particular: “On certain actions, we must not touch the opponents in the area. We are not stable enough on an emotional level. We cannot give these actions.”
After recognizing that “everyone has to be better”, Pep Guardiola, whose contract runs until the end of the season, expressed his motivation: “I won't give up. Maybe that's what people are waiting, but I won't give up. I'm here, I like this challenge, I want to encourage my players and try. But it's difficult for the players, I understand. .” In the Premier League, Manchester City currently occupies second place, two points behind leader Liverpool.
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