Despite being rated higher than Al Hilal and having an early lead, Man City still suffered a 3-4 defeat to the Asian representative after 120 minutes. This was the most shocking result since the beginning of the tournament. Man City has revealed too many limitations after a seemingly perfect start at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Coach Pep Guardiola thanked his players after the defeat against Al Hilal (Photo: Reuters).
Speaking after the match, coach Pep Guardiola unexpectedly thanked the Man City players after their journey at the FIFA Club World Cup. The Spanish strategist said: "At this stage, any match is very difficult. We gave the opponent a chance to counterattack but also created many opportunities for ourselves. Overall, the team played well in this match.
We had some dangerous shots, but goalkeeper Bounou played excellently. I have nothing more to say about the game. It's a pity about the result. We were in a very good state. I have nothing more to say except thank you to the staff, from the way they trained, to the preparation. Everyone gave their all."
Despite Man City's defeat, coach Pep Guardiola remains optimistic when looking back at the team's journey at the FIFA Club World Cup. He believes this is a valuable opportunity for the team to gain experience and build a strong team spirit.
Man City still shows many instabilities after a disappointing season (Photo: Getty).
The coach born in 1971 added: “I have seen many positive things that I have never seen before, especially the relationship between the players and the coaching staff. I feel comfortable and happy throughout my time here. The training sessions are all very high quality. But the level in this tournament is really high.
We created a lot of chances but Al Hilal defended too deep and goalkeeper Bounou had an unbelievable day. In games like this, you have to be precise.”
After losing to Al Hilal, Man City will return to England to rest and prepare for the 2025/26 Premier League season. After a disappointing season, Man “Blue” is under great pressure to succeed next season.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/hlv-pep-guardiola-tuyen-bo-bat-ngo-khi-man-city-thua-soc-20250701164109099.htm
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