Pep Guardiola admitted his Manchester City side were 'not clever' in the first half of their 2-1 Champions League quarter-final first-leg win over Borussia Dortmund, despite Phil Foden's dramatic 90th-minute winner. The City manager expressed relief after the match, acknowledging the pressure his team faced in a tense contest at the Etihad Stadium.
Kevin De Bruyne had given City an early lead, but Marco Reus equalised in the 84th minute before Foden struck late. Guardiola criticised his team's build-up play, stating: 'In the first half we were not clever with the ball, or our passing. Today the build-up was not good.' He attributed the struggles to the strength of the Dortmund side, who possess 'quality and pace up front'.
Off the pitch, an unusual incident occurred when assistant referee Sebastian Georghe appeared to ask Dortmund striker Erling Haaland for his autograph after the final whistle. UEFA may investigate the interaction. Guardiola took a light-hearted view, remarking: 'Maybe he is a fan of Haaland.'
Despite the victory, Guardiola reserved special praise for Foden, who became the third-youngest Englishman to score in the Champions League. 'Second half he was a threat, he played really well. He had two or three chances and finally he did,' Guardiola said. However, he insisted the tie is not over, with the second leg in Dortmund next week.
Dortmund captain Reus expressed frustration at conceding late, while interim manager Edin Terzic called the defeat 'half-time' in the tie, believing his side still have a chance. 'We're not done yet,' Terzic added.
