In the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16, Manchester City lost 0-3 to Real Madrid in Madrid. This result caused much controversy among the team's fans and football experts. They emphasize that some of the squad selections made by Spanish manager Josep Guardiola were wrong.
Critics believe that Abdukodir Khusanov's decision to play in the team's defensive line to stop Vinicius Junior was unreasonable. At the same time, Guardiola stated that he does not regret this decision and that the team performed well on the field.
The Spanish expert said in an interview:
- "Did we win or lose in Madrid? We lost, so the squad selection was bad. But did we win at Newcastle? We won, so the lineup is well-chosen. In both the League Cup and the FA Cup, we always make the right decisions for the team. Of course, it's impossible to play with the same lineup every three days. Winning trophies is not the main thing in every game."
Guardiola also admitted that in the match in Madrid, the team played very well in the first half, but got carried away with emotions and conceded a goal. He emphasized that they played well in the second half as well, but the awarding of a penalty affected the result.
The Spanish manager said that he has lost many times in the Champions League playoffs, so criticism doesn't surprise him, and he emphasized that he won't comment against anyone after the game to prove his decisions.
As a reminder, the second leg will take place on March 17th and Manchester City will host. Guardiola's men are confident that they will be able to put the situation on the right track through their actions in this match.
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