"We played well overall". Guardiola regrets Man City’s early exit from the Club World Cup

Manchester City’s campaign at the Club World Cup came to an abrupt end in the round of 16 after a thrilling encounter with Al Hilal. Unsurprisingly, head coach Pep Guardiola expressed his disappointment at seeing his side bow out so early.

Details: The manager of the English champions highlighted that his team performed well, but Al Hilal’s goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was in inspired form, and that made the difference for the Middle Eastern side. Now, City must take time to rest and regroup.

Quote: “We allowed them some counterattacks, but we also created plenty of chances and, overall, played well. It’s a shame. We were in very good shape, and I can’t thank the staff enough for how they train and prepare the team—they give everything. We created a lot of opportunities, and Bounou made some incredible saves.

There’s not much more to add. I feel like the team is performing well, but now we go home, it’s time to rest and refresh our minds so we can come back next season. I felt we were happy here and our training sessions were excellent, but the level of competition is extremely high,” Guardiola said at the press conference.