Pep Guardiola was again seen with scratches on his head after Manchester City’s dramatic 3-2 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday night. City looked set to take a one-goal advantage after Erling Haaland converted an 80th-minute penalty following a foul on Phil Foden.
Haaland’s second goal of the night, his 49th in 48 Champions League games came after Kylian Mbappé had earlier equalised for Real Madrid. However, Madrid staged a late comeback, scoring twice in the final four minutes to stun City at the Etihad Stadium.
Read Also: Guardiola apologises for self-harm comment after Man City’s Champions League collapse
Following the match, Guardiola was seen with scratches on his head, likely self-inflicted during a tense 90 minutes in the dugout. Speaking after the defeat, Guardiola admitted frustration over City’s recurring lapses in big moments:
“Today was tight, and at times we had chances. We give away many games at the end. At this level, it is so difficult. It is not the first time—it happens many times.” “There are mistakes in similar areas. It is difficult to manage, but yeah, it happens many times. Players make decisions, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.”
He also took responsibility for the defeat:
“It belongs to all of us, not just the players. I have no problem accepting that it doesn’t work like it did in the past. The result is what it is.”
Earlier this season, Guardiola made headlines when he admitted he wanted to “hurt himself” after City threw away a 3-0 lead against Feyenoord.
He later apologized after concerns were raised about the implications of his remarks.
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