Guardiola Urges Improvement Despite Manchester City's Victory Over Real Madrid

Despite securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu in their Champions League match on Wednesday, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola emphasized the need for his team to improve. Goals from Nico O'Reilly and Erling Haaland overturned an early deficit, but Guardiola believes there's still a "long way to go" before City can seriously contend for the Champions League title.

Real Madrid, under pressure manager Xabi Alonso, started strongly, with Rodrygo snapping a 32-game goalless run to give the hosts the lead in the 28th minute. However, City capitalized on a corner, with Nico O'Reilly scoring the equalizer in the 35th minute. Just before halftime, Erling Haaland converted a penalty after Antonio Ruediger fouled him, putting City ahead.

While acknowledging the significance of the win, Guardiola remained critical of his team's performance. "We are away," he told TNT Sports. "Still we are not ready." He added, "Important, but in February we will be better." Guardiola highlighted the difficulty of playing at the Bernabéu, stating, "You come here and it's always difficult." He praised his players' effort and spirit but insisted there was "still margin to improve."

Guardiola acknowledged that his team struggled to control Real Madrid in the first half, particularly Rodrygo's threat on the counter-attack. He felt City improved in the second half and that the goal helped them gain a foothold in the game. He also lauded Jeremy Doku's performance and recognized the valuable experience gained by the newer players in the squad.

The victory moved Manchester City to fourth place in their Champions League group. Guardiola believes that winning at the Bernabéu is a significant achievement, but he also expects his team to be even better should they progress to the knockout stage. He stated that the level of performance displayed against Real Madrid would not be sufficient to compete in the latter stages of the competition.

Guardiola specifically praised Nico O'Reilly's fearless performance. He highlighted O'Reilly's intelligence and willingness to take risks, even if it leads to mistakes. Guardiola emphasized that everyone makes mistakes, but it's important to be courageous and keep trying.

City's win against Real Madrid was only their second ever at the Bernabéu. The match was a thrilling encounter, typical of the recent clashes between these two European giants. However, Guardiola's post-match comments made it clear that he expects more from his team as they continue their Champions League campaign. He believes that with further improvement, Manchester City can become a genuine force in the competition.