Injuries to Key Players Haaland & De Bruyne Weigh Heavy on City's Champions League Exit

Manchester City’s dreams of progressing in the Champions League were crushed as key players Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne had to be substituted due to their inability to continue, following their quarter-final defeat to Real Madrid on penalties.

Manager Pep Guardiola explained that both top goalscorer Haaland and playmaker De Bruyne asked to be substituted, indicating their struggle with injuries. Had they managed to stay on the field, both might have been options for penalty kicks. The team eventually lost the shootout 4-3, resulting in a 4-4 aggregate draw.

Manchester City dominated the field, holding 67% of possession and taking a whopping 33 shots, compared to Real Madrid’s eight. Nonetheless, they were unable to convert their opportunities into goals. This marked the end of their Champions League journey and dashed their hopes of a historic double Treble.

Despite the heartbreaking defeat, Guardiola expressed his team’s commitment and their lack of regrets. He refused to criticize his players Mateo Kovacic, who missed a crucial penalty, and Bernardo Silva, whose own penalty was easily stopped by the keeper.

In spite of the crushing loss, City must recover quickly as they face Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday. Guardiola acknowledged that the defeat might sting but was resolute that Manchester City performed exceptionally and did not fail due to lack of effort, even though it wasn’t enough to overcome Real Madrid’s challenge.