VIDEO SHOWS: REAL MADRID COACH XABI ALONSO AND MANCHESTER CITY COACH PEP GUARDIOLA HOLDING A PRESS CONFERENCE AFTER THEIR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCH, COMMENTS FROM REAL MADRID GOALKEEPER THIBAUT COURTOIS AFTER THE MATCH RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: MADRID, SPAIN (DECEMBER 10, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) 1. MANCHESTER CITY COACH PEP GUARDIOLA ARRIVING AT PRESS CONFERENCE ROOM 2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER CITY COACH PEP GUARDIOLA SAYING: "Sometimes, when you play, you find a goal, and sometimes you find a goal. And after you find the game or the way you have to play. And until the goal we scored, they were much better. We could not control, we tried to have the ball but not with intention to be aggressive with that and they defended so deep, and every time we lost the ball they punished us especially with Rodrygo many many times, The second half was much better and in the end it was good to score a goal because it helped us a little bit to be there." 3. PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER CITY COACH PEP GUARDIOLA SAYING: "We will work on it, but it's not enough, it's not enough to be there (in top matches) in the way we performed today. There are incredibly may many good things, don't misunderstand me. I'm so pleased for the players, for the effort, for the soul, heart and how they ran, but we have to — here, Anfield, PSG, PSV Eindhoven, Arsenal, Barcelona, this kind of stuff, where normally these teams will arrive, we have to do better, but knowing the players we will be better, we will improve, that's for sure." 5. PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS 6. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MANCHESTER CITY COACH PEP GUARDIOLA SAYING: "Each lost ball they were able to run with Rodrygo who was alone on the transitions, and we were closer to conceding more goals than them by the way we were playing. But the goal gave us serenity, then the penalty, that of course VAR needs to come and check it otherwise the referees don't have, (MAKES SOUNDS WITH MOUTH) to do it, and then we were better in the second half. They did have some chances, but so did we. And I think we had the match a little bit more in our hand." 7. PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS 8. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MANCHESTER CITY COACH PEP GUARDIOLA SAYING: "First times, of course, they are different (winning at the Bernabeu). My first time was the 2-6 (with Barcelona), of course, it was different because it was about winning the league. Here, it's just about qualifying to the next round. We may face each other in the quarter-finals or semi-finals with Real Madrid again. Of course, if we play good, we'll be closer to win but just to win against Real Madrid I give it a lot of value, it's very valuable. To win here in Spain against Madrid, Barca, Atletico Madrid, Villarreal, it's very complicated. So, of course, I value it, but we have the feeling of having so many new players in the last two transfer markets. We've changed a lot." / GUARDIOLA LEAVING 9. REAL MADRID COACH XABI ALONSO ARRIVING AT PRESS CONFERENCE ROOM 10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH XABI ALONSO, SAYING: "It was a very disputed match, it had different moments. We started very well with Rodrygo's goal and some other chances, doing what we wanted to do. But when you are not at your best emotional moment, which is where we were at, in 10 minutes they overcame the result doing very little, with a corner and with the penalty kick, but the team kept trying and competing during the whole match." 11. PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS 12. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH XABI ALONSO SAYING: "Today, I have nothing to reproach. I'm thankful for the attitude and the daily coexistence with the players. And we need to keep going. This is the Champions League, of course, we wanted to win, our moment because of results in November and December, it's not good as we'd like. We are critical and self-demanding. We understand the people (who criticise), but we need to keep working and believing that the moment will pass, because everything passes, and I'm sure we are able to do it (overcome the situation)." 13. PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS 14. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH XABI ALONSO SAYING: "We need to take it with normality (criticism) because the demand here is absolute, and we want to revert the moment where we are little by little, the emotional and physical moments, so as the injured players. There's still a long way to go. You sometimes put it in some other ways, but we need to very calm because this is a long road and how the situation is looking now can change in very little time." 15. PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS 16. (SOUNDBITE) (English) REAL MADRID COACH XABI ALONSO SAYING: "I think that the performance has been very intense, really professional. We know it was Champions League level game and they have given their best. So, today, from my side, no complaints at all. It's hard to take another defeat, but we have tried until the end." 17. ALONSO LEAVING 18. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID GOALKEEPER THIBAUT COURTOIS SAYING: "I'm just a player and it's not easy for me to explain one thing or another, but the one who decides things in the team is the manager. He explains it well, we know the game plan and sometimes it doesn't work out. As players, we need to have self-criticism and to think about what we can do better for the team, to think what's the best for the team and teammates, and that's what we are going to do until the end of the season. We need to give it all to make fans happy in the Cup and the league." STORY: Nico O'Reilly's opportunistic strike and Erling Haaland's penalty helped Manchester City to fight back to beat Real Madrid 2-1 in a tense Champions League contest at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday (December 10). Rodrygo opened the scoring with a low shot from a counter in the 28th minute, with City looking exposed almost every time Madrid ventured forward for the first half an hour. But Madrid pressed the self-destruct button, first when goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois spilled a relatively easy header from Josko Gvardiol, with O’Reilly converting the rebound in the 35th minute. Then, eight minutes later, defender Antonio Ruediger conceded a penalty by wrestling Haaland to the ground as he went to meet a cross in the six-yard box, with the Norwegian striker making sure with the resulting penalty. The result moved Pep Guardiola's City to fourth place in the group with 13 points from six matches, while Madrid slipped to seventh with 12 points, increasing scrutiny on manager Xabi Alonso as Real's dismal run extended to just two wins in eight matches across all competitions over the past five weeks. (Production: Michael Gore, Miguel Gutierrez)
(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)
