Real Madrid defeat leaves Man City with season-defining run
Manchester City's season stands on the brink following a demoralising Champions League exit at the hands of familiar foes Real Madrid. Having endured a trophyless campaign last term, an opportunity of ending that barren run has vanished for City after being knocked out of Europe by Real for the third successive season with a 5-1 loss on aggregate. Pep Guardiola's side can put things right on Sunday against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
Another defeat could send their season spiralling. Against Real, Federico Valverde's first leg hat-trick did the damage, while Vinicius Junior's double in the return game at Etihad Stadium following Bernardo Silva's sending-off rubber-stamped an authoritative performance from the 15-time champions. "It is difficult once you are 4-0 down and playing 10 men against 11.
But we did everything," boss Pep Guardiola told Amazon Prime. "We have an extraordinary team and an extraordinary group of players. The future is bright.
It's a little bit of a learning [curve] but it should have been 11 against 11. But we never know. Maybe we lose 6-0 but it's a fact.
" Manchester City face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday before hosting Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals Man City suffer Champions League exit to Real Madrid This particular run of seven games will define City's season on all four fronts - losing twice against Real means their trophy prospects have been reduced to three. That could be down to two on Sunday with a huge clash against the Gunners, who are hungry to rid their tags of 'nearly men' by ending a trophy drought which stretches back to 2020. "On Monday [after Carabao Cup final] hopefully we will wake up and it is a sunny day," said Guardiola.