Real Madrid 1, Manchester City 0 (Agg: 1-0): Pellegrini blames lack of creativity as City suffer European Bale-out
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini rued a lack of creative spark as his side meekly bowed out of the Champions League following an uninspiring showing against 10-time winners Real Madrid.
Real set up a repeat of the 2014 final against La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid when former Tottenham forward Gareth Bale’s cross-cum-shot flew beyond City goalkeeper Joe Hart, although it was credited as a Fernando own goal.
In the end it was a rather feeble exit from their first ever Champions League semi final as City registered only one shot on target and their dangerman Sergio Aguero was rendered a peripheral and isolated figure.
City’s focus now returns to the Premier League and Sunday’s visit of Arsenal as Pellegrini bids to secure Champions League football for his soon-to-be-successor Pep Guardiola.
“I’m disappointed because that was a very close game and I think Real Madrid were very lucky with the goal as it was a cross but we didn’t create too many chances,” said Pellegrini.
“It was similar to the first leg with both teams working but nobody making the difference. We did not have any problems in defence, our problem was we were not very creative in the last third.
“We worked the game very well and tried to win the ball high and make some difference but we were not creative and that’s why we didn’t score.”
City suffered a blow inside the opening 10 minutes as injury-plagued skipper Vincent Kompany limped off to be replaced by Eliaquim Managla.
Real threatened moments later as the returning Cristiano Ronaldo cleared the crossbar with a free header from full-back Dani Carvajal’s cross, although Los Blancos soon breached City’s rearguard.
Carvajal played in Bale, who broke into the penalty area off the back of full-back Gael Clichy, and the 26-year-old arrowed a high, rasping effort, which deflected off Fernando, across Hart and into the net off the far post.
City, aiming to become the seventh first-time Champions League finalists in the last 20 years, retaliated to Real’s 20th-minute opener and midfielder Fernandinho thudded a shot off the outside of the post from Kevin de Bruyne’s pass.
The visitors were indebted to Hart for keeping them in the tie before the hour mark as the England No1 spread himself to repel a Luka Modric effort from point-blank range, while Bale smacked the crossbar shortly afterwards.
Prolific marksman Aguero endured a quiet evening and was forced to drop increasingly deep, but sounded a late warning as his shot from outside of the box whistled over the crossbar of worried Real stopper Keylor Navas.