Pep Guardiola says Manchester City need to make sure they write down the small details in the Champions League semi-final rematch against Real Madrid as he compares their late Etihad penalty to another scandalous European moment against Tottenham.
City led 2-0, 3-1 and 4-2 in the match against Real in a breathless struggle from end to end, but the guests ensured that they were only one goal behind in the return match after the 82nd minute of Karim Benzema penalty awarded after a game by Aymeric Laporte.
From a free kick, the ball was aimed at Laporte’s outstretched hand and a point kick was given, with Benzema smashing the ball in the middle while Ederson threw. When asked about the penalty, Guardiola recalled another handball match in the Champions League in a similar relentless game.
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In 2019, City led 4-2 in their quarter-final rematch at the Etihad against Tottenham and with one goal ahead overall, before Fernando Lorente joined in to level the Spurs and overtake away goals. Repetitions showed that the ball went into his hand, and later the rules were changed to exclude such goals, regardless of intention.
“That’s what it is,” Guardiola said of the penalty decision.
“We came out of the Champions League against Tottenham, when he hit Lorente’s hand, today he hit his hand. This race is for details. All we can do is introduce ourselves. Once the opponents are so good. Real Madrid is punishing you. What we did with and without a ball, I can’t ask anything else. I tell the players, the break, Leeds is the most important thing after we go to Madrid to win. “
Guardiola was generally philosophical about City’s performance, but acknowledged that the result could have been even more favorable for the Blues.
“It was a fantastic match for both sides,” he said.
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“We did a lot of good things, unfortunately we conceded goals, we could have scored more. Two games, we have another one.
“We are playing a fantastic match against an amazing team. The moments they climbed into the game in the first half that we gave them in terms of our build were nervous. But they are also pressing very well, really hard. We played a fantastic match, for us , for Man City, we are so proud. It is about to reach the final, football is happening. We are going to Madrid to win the match.
“When both teams want to attack, they have the quality to play, football is a fantastic spectacle. Congratulations to Carlo and his team, they are so good, the threat they have is always there. But we saw for ourselves that we could be there. “
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