MANCHESTER, England — Pep Guardiola expressed a moment of overwhelming relief after Manchester City narrowly avoided a shocking early exit from the Champions League on Wednesday night.
The City manager’s emotions were on full display as his team mounted a comeback from a precarious position, trailing 1-0 to Brugge at halftime. A 3-1 victory ultimately sealed their fate, allowing them to advance to a playoff against either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
“I told them it was over, that we are out…” Guardiola shared later, reflecting on his halftime speech. However, he found just the right words to inspire his players to fight back effectively.
“In the second half, we lift our soul and our hearts were free,” he remarked. “For today we are in the next round, that’s good.”
This match was crucial for the reigning champions, as they had no choice but to win. Although they fell behind just before the interval, their victory allowed them to finish 22nd in the 36-team rankings, which secured their progression to a two-legged playoff for a spot in the round of 16.
Guardiola’s anxious demeanor was evident as he managed from the sidelines, receiving a yellow card for his passionate reactions at one point and alternating roles between a ballboy and a cheerleader throughout the match.
His nervous energy was palpable; he fidgeted and gestured wildly from the sideline, at times burying his head in his hands and at others enthusiastically urging the home crowd on. When Brugge’s Joel Ordonez scored an own goal in the 62nd minute, Guardiola’s relief manifested in him kicking a drinks cooler in celebration.
This reaction starkly contrasted with the discouragement etched on his face when Raphael Onyedika put Brugge ahead earlier in the match.
Known for wearing his heart on his sleeve, Guardiola’s emotional nature has been heightened during a challenging season for the four-time defending Premier League champions. In a prior match against Feyenoord in November, after his team conceded a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3, he ended the game with visible scratches on his head and face from anxiously scratching himself.
At that time, he humorously mentioned he wanted to “harm myself,” later clarifying that he never meant to trivialize the serious issue of self-harm.
City was initially favored to defeat Brugge, but with Guardiola’s squad struggling, compiling only one win out of 13 matches between October and December, including nine losses, nothing could be taken for granted. When Brugge took the lead, the stunned crowd at Etihad Stadium must have feared the worst. However, an evening that began with a fire erupting from a merchandise stall outside the ground ended in jubilation inside when the final whistle blew.
As Manchester City prepares to face either Madrid or Bayern, Guardiola was candid about his team’s chances of winning the trophy for a second time.
“Right now, no (I don’t),” he admitted. “I’m so pragmatic; the reality is the reality.”