Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was left bemused by Ilkay Gundogan’s post-match comments after the English outfit lost 2-0 to Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday night, making it one win from their last 10 outings.
Talisman Dusan Vlahovic put the hosts 1-0 ahead in the 53rd minute, getting the better of Josko Gvardiol in the air, after some suspect defending from Guardiola’s men. After a swift check with VAR, referee Clement Turpin confirmed the goal.
Weston McKennie then compiled further misery on Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne and the like. Timothy Weah floated his delivery to the back post and his compatriot, formerly of Leeds United, bamboozled Ederson by swivelling and converting his in-the-air effort.
Despite beating high-flying Nottingham Forest 3-0 on December 4, Guardiola finds himself in unrecognisable territory, having picked up just five points in his last 10 outings in all competitions.
Gundogan, who returned to the Premier League in the summer after a one-season stint with Barcelona, issued a scathing assessment of his side’s performance at the Allianz Arena. The ex-Borussia Dortmund star felt as if his teammates were overcomplicating matters.
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The veteran central midfielder, 34, pointed to his side’s carelessness on the ball as a reason why he felt under pressure every time the Old Lady were marauding forward in their numbers: "It’s very disappointing. We had chances to score a few goals but, at the moment, it feels like every attack we concede is just so dangerous.
“I have a feeling sometimes we are a bit careless in the duels, instead of playing simple we overcomplicate things and we missed the right timing to release the ball.
“Just lose the ball and give them counterattacks. We are built for possession, keep the ball, be strong, if you can’t do anything don't lose it,” the German international continued. “At the moment it’s not working out for us."
Catalan native Guardiola, widely considered one of the greatest managers in football history, was taken aback when told of Gundogan’s post-match remarks. Speaking to TNT Sports, the confused 53-year-old said: “He said we don’t need… sorry?
“No, no, we have done it today, other days, no, but today we have done it, we have done it really well. We didn't lose many balls as happened in the past, we tried to arrive in the [best] positions.”
“Italian teams defend so deep they are so compact, they are the master of these situations,” he said about Thiago Motta's solid defensive set-up. “Even with that we played like who we are. We missed the result, but the performance is there."