MADRID - Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expressed defiance after his team's 3-0 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid. Despite the daunting deficit, Guardiola insisted his squad will fight for a comeback in the return leg.
"We agree we can do better to be most active in the final third and we'll try," Guardiola stated, acknowledging the need for improvement. He noted the team's resilience, particularly after Gianluigi Donnarumma saved a penalty, preventing an even larger gap.
Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa celebrated a strong performance from his team. Federico Valverde was a standout, scoring crucial goals. "I don't know if in the end he's going to end up hating me because of how annoyingly I've been nagging him about trying to convey how important he is to the team," Arbeloa commented on Valverde's impact.