Guardiola's furious message to Manchester City players after Real Madrid humiliation

The Manchester City suffered a tough defeat at home to Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League 2025 quarter-finals. The 3-2 result left the English side needing to come back at the Santiago Bernabeu to progress to the next round.

After the match, the Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, addressed his players in the dressing room. According to defender John Stones, the manager's message was clear and direct:

"He told us we have to look at ourselves and take responsibility for what we do on the pitch. I think we do that," Stones told the press after the match.

These words from Guardiola reflect his philosophy of play and his leadership as a manager. The Catalan coach has always instilled in his teams the importance of self-criticism and individual responsibility within the collective.

Guardiola is a manager who demands a lot from his players, but he also trusts them and their ability to improve. His message after the defeat was not one of reproach, but of motivation and a call for reflection.

The manager is aware that football is a team sport and that all players have their share of responsibility in the results, both positive and negative. Therefore, his message focused on the need for each player to examine themselves and analyse their performance in the match.

Guardiola is not looking for individual culprits, but rather seeks to make his players aware of their mistakes and work to correct them. His goal is for each player to take responsibility and strive to improve their performance on the pitch.

Guardiola's message also conveys the confidence he has in his players. Despite the defeat, the manager believes in his team's ability to overcome this obstacle and achieve a comeback in the second leg.

The manager knows that Real Madrid are a very difficult opponent and that the match at the Bernabeu will be even more challenging. However, he is confident that his players will give their best and fight to the end for qualification.

Guardiola's words after the defeat are an example of his leadership and his ability to motivate his players. His message not only refers to the match against Real Madrid, but is also a life lesson for his players.

The manager teaches them that in football, as in life, it is important to take responsibility for our actions and strive to improve every day. Only then can we achieve our goals and achieve success.

The second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu will be a litmus test for Manchester City and Guardiola's players. The manager's message resonates in the dressing room and in the minds of each player. Responsibility, self-criticism and self-confidence will be City's weapons in their quest for a comeback.