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Manchester City fans say one decision Pep Guardiola made cost them the game v Real Madrid

Giuseppe Labellarte

Tue 11 February 2025 22:17, UK Updated Tue 11 February 2025 23:50, UK

Manchester City found themselves on the receiving end of a 3-2 defeat by Real Madrid in Tuesday night’s Champions League playoff first leg at the Etihad Stadium.

Manchester City twice led in the 𒈔gameﷺ, but Real Madrid came from behind twice before netting the winner in stoppage time.

Erling Haaland struck twice for Pep Guardiolaღ’s side, but goals from Kylian Mbappe and Brahim Diaz had Real level towards the latter stages.

Then, in the second minute of stoppage time, Jude Bellingham tucked home Vinicius Jr’s delive♔ry to give the reigning European champs the advantage.

A number of Man City fans were not impresꦜsed with one particular decision Guardiola made late on in the game.

READ MORE: Liverpool and Man City hold talks with midfielder who Pep Guardiola claims is ‘sensatio𒅌nal’

Manchester City fans unhappy with Nathan Ake substitution

The decision in question was Nathan Ake c꧒oming off, which City fans felt weakened their defence and allowed Real a way back into the game.

“I was going to be happy with the result🉐s until the 3rd goal happened,” one City supporter wrote on X. “Unbelievable.

“Ake leaves and the defence crumbles for no reason. We pl𓆏ayed so well with such high energy too. Story of the season I suppose.”

Another said: “A🔯ke sub and Stones leaving midfield made the defence worse, I know Ake isn’t fully fit but he played brilliantly and should’ve stayed on.”

The crit🍃icism kept coming, with one fan writing: “Bernardo and Savinho stayed in the pitch for way too long and I have no idea why Ake got subbed off.”

Another said: “Why take Ake off and move Stones back. It was working well. If anything for me it should have been B♛ernardo off for Kovacic.”

And another wrote: “Soulless performance. All went wrong when Ake came ofᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚf.”

Other fans said M൲😼anuel Akanji coming off also had a big impact on the game, although he couldn’t continue.

“I꧒ knew we w��ere cooked as soon as Akanji and Ake went off and Stones went into CB,” said one fan.

“Kova anꦆd Rico just sideways pass with no penetration unlike John who was owning the game and positive.”

Another wrote: “That was horrible, he took off A🥃ke and Akanji and the physicality in the team dropped to 0. They could never survive.”

Man City have now🥀 conceded 57 goals in 𒆙38 games in all competitions this season, three more than they did in 59 games last term.

Only in 2016-17 (60) have the Ci🎀tizens conceded more in a campaign under Guardiola.

How Nathan Ake fared v Real Madrid

Ake, who has been in and out of𓂃 the Man City team due to injuries, was back in the fold and did well in the 61 minutes he was on the pitch.

Although Ake lost Mbappe for Real’s first equaliser,꧅ he was a solid presence for the most part and made a crucial block in the early stages of the match.

Man City are next in action on Saturday whe🍌n they host Newcastle United in the Premier League꧒ before taking on Real Madrid next Wednesday at the Bernabeu.