UCL Semi Final Loss: Gabby Agbonlahor comes in tough at Guardiola

The Semi Final between Manchester City and Real Madrid is a fixture a lot of people aren’t ready to forget anytime soon, let alone get over, particularly for English fans. Cause put plainly, it’s a game no one could understand.

You simply need a high degree of mental prowess to grasp how a team that was totally dominated, and had failed to register a single shot on target for 89 minutes of regular game time, could go on to score 2 within 2 minutes of added time to force the match into extra time.

To understand how it could be half possible, then one obviously needs to come up with conspiracy theories to make sense of the whole thing; which former Aston Villa captain has done with fingers sharply pointed at City manager, Pep Guardiola.

In his rant to talksport, the Villa Legend accused the Spaniard of having made the wrong decision by bringing off Manchester City midfield maestro Kevin De Bruyne even when he felt the game had been won or that they had the advantage.

During the game, Guardiola had opted to bring off De Bruyne in the 72nd minute for Ilkay Gundogan which Agbonlahor theorizes brought Real Madrid into the game with Madrid substitute, Rodrygo going on to net a brace within 2 minutes to send the game into extra time with Ballon d’or contender, Karim Benzema striking an extra time penalty to ensure Real Madrid got a ticket to Paris to face Liverpool.

Agbonlahor believes De Bruyne should have remained on to provide that much threat in Midfield, and if anyone was to come off, it shouldn’t have been the Belgium International.

Speaking on talkSPORT on Thursday morning, he said: “When I look back at it, I just think yes, you are winning 1-0, but Real Madrid have done it before. They have done it against PSG, they have done it against Chelsea, do not bring off your talisman Kevin De Bruyne. 72nd minute, do not bring him off.” Agbonlahor lamented.

As far as this season’s Champions League have come, Real Madrid has left every pundit confused, as everyone one way or the other try to find faults with each opponent they play against rather than acknowledge the mental genius the Madrid team are to force in come backs time and again.

Be that as it may, the Real Madrid would have left many minds a philosopher or football tactician before the season ultimately draws its curtain.