Manchester City: Searching for Answers After Another Late Collapse
In the world of football, few things are as frustrating as watching a lead slip away in the dying moments of a match. For Manchester City, this scenario has become all too familiar, and it’s a trend that has left fans and players alike scratching their heads. Nathan Aké, a key figure in City’s defense, has openly admitted that the team is “trying to find the reason” behind their recurring late-game collapses. This admission comes on the heels of a particularly painful defeat at the hands of Real Madrid.
On a chilly Tuesday evening at the Etihad Stadium, City found themselves in a commanding position, leading twice against the Spanish giants. With just four minutes of normal time remaining, they were 2-1 up, seemingly on the brink of a crucial victory. However, the football gods had other plans. Goals from Brahim Díaz and Jude Bellingham turned the tide in Real Madrid’s favor, leaving City to ponder yet another late collapse.
Aké didn’t mince words when discussing the defeat, describing it as “hard to take.” He elaborated, “Obviously the last five minutes or so when you’re winning 2-1 to give it away like that is frustrating and hard to take. It’s difficult to be honest. We’re trying to find the reason why.”
It’s not the first time this season that City has found themselves in this predicament. They’ve squandered leads against Sporting CP, Feyenoord, and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. In the Premier League, both Manchester United and Brentford have staged late comebacks to snatch points from City.
Aké acknowledged the pattern, saying, “It’s happened a few times now this season and we haven’t learned from it yet so we have to do that as soon as possible. Against these kinds of players you’re going to concede chances. We know that they have top players upfront. Obviously we have to do better collectively as a team, as defenders. Most of the time we did well to keep them out. But at the end we’re winning 2-1 and we gave it away. That’s the main thing.”
With the first leg defeat at home, the odds are now stacked against City as they prepare for the second leg at the Bernabeu next week. But before they can focus on that daunting task, they must first navigate a tricky league game against Newcastle on Saturday. Despite the challenges ahead, Aké remains optimistic about City’s chances. “Of course, there’s one goal in it,” he said. “Today in some phases we showed what we can do, created good chances, played some good football. It’s about little details and if we get that right hopefully we can go through.”
- Manchester City has thrown away leads against Sporting CP, Feyenoord, and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
- In the Premier League, Manchester United and Brentford have both produced late comebacks against City.
- City led twice against Real Madrid but conceded two late goals to lose the first leg at home.
As City fans hold their breath and hope for a turnaround, the team must dig deep to find the resilience and focus needed to close out games. The road ahead is challenging, but with the talent and determination within the squad, there’s every chance they can overcome these hurdles and emerge stronger.
Originally Written by: Rob Dawson
