‘You Try To Survive’ – Former PL Defender Gives Pep Guardiola Advice | OneFootball

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Former Premier League defender Frank Leboeuf has criticised Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola for playing out from the back in the closing stages after the Citizens’ late collapse on Tuesday against Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Manchester City’s have struggled massively to find consistency this season and have lost 12 games in all competitions after their latest 3-2 defeat against Los Blancos in the first leg of the Champions League knockout phase playoffs.

The Citizens were leading 2-1 up until the 85th minute before conceding two goals from Brahim Diaz and Jude Bellingham inside seven minutes to lose the match 3-2.

Leboeuf criticised Guardiola for asking his players to play out from the back even in the latter stages of the game, when they are leading.

The former defender said Mateo Kovacic lost the ball in his half in an attempt to play out from the back, and believes the Citizens should try playing long balls instead of focusing to build up from the defence in order to protect their lead and see out games.

Leboeuf said on ESPN: “Pep Guardiola said that he doesn’t have the solution for that [conceding late goals].

“So maybe the first solution is in the last 10 minutes you stop playing from your own half.

“You kick the ball far away and try to press and you try to survive, you stop playing, it is a bad habit and today again when the opponent has the ball you put him down.

“We saw Rico Lewis not doing anything on Vinicius Jr, we see Kovacic, who has such a technique, shouldn’t lose the ball, losing the ball because he tries to play.”

Manchester City will hope their players will be able regain their best form in the coming weeks. as they still have the chance to qualify for the Champions League last 16, with the second leg against Real Madrid still to be played.