Man City experienced a disappointing exit from the Champions League after a penalty shootout against Real Madrid. An important moment in the match was when Manchester City fans delayed the return of the ball for 40 seconds, causing Bernardo Silva to wait longer than usual for his crucial penalty. This delay seemed to affect Silva’s performance, as his penalty was saved by Real Madrid’s goalkeeper, contributing to City’s defeat. The match concluded with a 4-4 aggregate score, and City missed two of their penalties, with the other miss coming from Mateo Kovacic.
Former City player Joleon Lescott highlighted the impact of the delay on Bernardo Silva before his penalty kick, noting that such a situation is difficult to prepare for. Rio Ferdinand chimed in, emphasizing the long delay of 40 seconds and expressing disappointment in the home fans’ role in causing the delay. Despite the setback caused by the delay, City had controlled much of the game, with Kevin De Bruyne’s goal leveling the score at 1-1. However, they were ultimately unable to secure a second goal.
Pep Guardiola, the City manager, expressed no regrets and mentioned that the team had put in their best efforts both offensively and defensively. The defeat resulted in Real Madrid progressing to the semi-final to face Bayern Munich.