Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expressed frustration after his team’s shocking 3-3 draw against Feyenoord in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday. Despite leading 3-0 with just 15 minutes left on the clock, City collapsed under pressure, allowing Feyenoord to stage a dramatic comeback at the Etihad Stadium.
This result extended City’s poor run of form, snapping their five-match losing streak but offering little encouragement ahead of their crucial Premier League clash with Liverpool on Sunday. Guardiola described the result as feeling “like a defeat” due to his team’s defensive vulnerabilities.
“We concede a lot of goals because we are not stable,” Guardiola admitted. “We give them the first and the other ones, and that is why it is difficult.”
City appeared to be cruising after Erling Haaland scored twice, with Ilkay Gundogan adding a deflected third goal. However, defensive lapses allowed Anis Hadj Moussa, Santiago Gimenez, and David Hancko to turn the game on its head, exposing City’s fragility.
This is the first time since 1989 that City has failed to secure victory after leading by three goals and the first time such a collapse has occurred in the Champions League’s final 15 minutes.
With just two wins in five group-stage matches, City sits 15th in the standings with eight points, leaving their qualification hopes uncertain. Guardiola emphasized the need for mental recovery, saying, “Rest one or two days, clear the head mentally, and think of the next (game).”
Defender Nathan Ake echoed his manager’s concerns, stressing the need for resilience during this challenging period. “At 3-0 up, we played quite well, had the game under control, and it all changed,” Ake said. “This is when we have to show our character and stay together.”
City’s next Champions League fixtures against Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain will be decisive in their campaign, while their Premier League title hopes hang in the balance with Liverpool already eight points ahead.
