Pep Guardiola admitted Manchester City being eliminated from the Champions League is now a “reality” following the 4-2 defeat to Paris-Saint Germain away from home.
City dropped to 25th in the standings, which sees them fall out of the knockout places across the new format, after squandering a two-goal lead at the Parc des Princes.
Goals from Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland lifted Guardiola’s team into 18th but it was short-lived, as PSG netted three times in 22-minutes in a 4-2 win that left City two points adrift of 24th-placed Stuttgart heading into their “last chance” fixture against Club Brugge on January 29.
“We have the last chance at home to Brugge and hopefully we can qualify,” said Guardiola, knowing only a victory will be enough for City to sneak into the play-offs.
“It could happen, if we don’t win we don’t deserve it. It’s always a difficult tie, this is the reality, we haven’t got enough points and we have to accept it. We have to do what we have to do.
“We could not cope. When one team is better I have no problem accepting it. Now we prepare for Chelsea and the final [game] against Club Brugge. We need to beat them.”This is what we have to do, survive and try to move forward. I know the players are trying and they have doubts but when a team is better you have to accept it.” (SkySports)