Pep Guardiola has launched a staunch defence after being criticised for Manchester City's dramatic Champions League exit.
The Spaniard's side crashed out of Europe on Wednesday evening after conceding two Rodrygo goals in the last-minute against Real Madrid. That levelled the semi-final tie on aggregate, allowing Ballon d'Or favourite Karim Benzema to score the winner in extra-time.
Guardiola's failure to win the Champions League at the Etihad is a blemish on his impressive CV. Remarkably, the renowned coach has not lifted the biggest prize in European football since 2011 - despite having one of the best teams on the continent.
It's the manner of City's European failures which really confuses pundits. Guardiola's side have been knocked out of the Champions League by Monaco, Tottenham, Liverpool, Lyon, Chelsea and now Real. They were the favourites in all six ties.
Guardiola has also been questioned for the amount of money he's spent in the transfer market. The Spaniard has invested around £923million in his playing squad since he was appointed in the summer of 2016 and will likely surpass the £1billion-mark this summer.
"People say that since this team has not managed to win the Champions League then it is a failure," said the City manager ahead of Sunday's home game against Newcastle. "I totally disagree but I accept it, I will not debate who is right or who is wrong.
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"I’m always hungry, I think every day how lucky and happy I am. I know that the people here are obsessed with the Champions League. The day we win it I’m sure they will say it was because we spent so much money, not for the work behind it.
"For me it is not a question of money and the fans do not understand it. Roma have also spent a lot of money but they are not in the Champions League."
Mirror Football columnist Robbie Fowler, who played for City between 2003 and 2006, doesn't believe Guardiola's team bottled it against Real on Wednesday - bit he has identified two major factors that cost them dearly.
Fowler wrote: "I may be accused of being a Pep Guardiola cheerleader, but I’m not having the criticism that he somehow bottled the Champions League. Again. It’s an easy narrative, I know. He always overthinks the games in Europe, seems to find a way to lose a competition where he’s not lifted the trophy for 11 years.
"Yep, that is a double-take kind of statistic, given he’s managed Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City in that time – but you know what, it happens... you can’t fathom what happened at the Bernabeu, but Guardiola is not a fake, not finished.
"Even City are vulnerable to the vagaries of momentum and the very real emotion of fear, if the stars align against them. That’s what happened in Madrid. Nothing more."
