Pep Guardiola has admitted that Manchester Metropolis’s ”penalty downside” might harm their Champions League ambitions.
- Metropolis held to a draw by Dortmund
- Mahrez missed second successive penalty in UCL
- Metropolis have poor file from the spot beneath Pep
WHAT HAPPENED? If Riyad Mahrez had scored from 12 yards towards Borussia Dortmund then Manchester Metropolis might have left Sign Iduna Park with three factors of their bag as a substitute of only one. Erling Haaland is the first spot-kick taker for Metropolis, however the Norwegian was taken off at half-time towards his former membership, and the Algerian stepped up as his backup. After failing to attain towards Copenhagen a fortnight in the past, Mahrez fluffed his traces once more as Gregor Kobel dived the straight away to avoid wasting his try. Guardiola was visibly involved concerning the miss and hinted that his group’s struggles from 12 yards might derail their probabilities of successful the match.
WHAT THEY SAID: “Since I have been right here we have missed 25 penalties, most of them within the Champions League,” Guardiola mentioned to reporters after the match. “It is too many. You at all times must admire the braveness, however lacking so many penalties is an issue. We’ve got to enhance. It comes right down to nice margins on this competitors and these conditions could make the distinction.”
The Metropolis boss additionally confirmed Mahrez will ”take a break” from spot-kick duties after his newest miss. ”Riyad was distinctive two or three years in the past, he shoot the pen to go 1-1 right here to assist us attain the semi for the primary time,” he added. “Currently, he missed. He’ll replicate. He can take a break now with the penalties.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Mahrez has missed 10 of his 32 profession penalties, together with three of his final 4 for Metropolis. Guardiola will now have a look at different alternate options within the squad to step up when Haaland just isn’t on the pitch. Ilkay Gundogan might choose up the mantle once more after scoring 15 out of the 17 he has taken in his profession.
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GettyGetty Photographs
Getty Photographs
WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER CITY? Guardiola’s males will journey to Leicester Metropolis to tackle the Foxes in a Premier League encounter on Saturday.