Manuel Pellegrini says neither Real Madrid nor Manchester City can look back on the Champions League semi-final first leg with satisfaction.
The Coach took issue with the lack of attacking quality on display in both teams with the tie, goalless after the first leg, to be settled at Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
“I left with the impression of it being a bad game of football. I’ve always been an advocate of creative football and neither team had the ability or the intention to do so. I think we had the intention but we couldn’t do it. I don’t think Madrid had much intention, or couldn’t, for 70 minutes,” Pellegrini told an interview with AS.
“They are two teams with good players. The performance could have been better. It’s difficult in the Champions League semi-final, with something as important as the away goal, and the concept of ‘not losing away from home,’ so in the case of Madrid, maybe it is justified.
“If we analyse the game no one can be satisfied with [Sergio] Aguero, nor David Silva, [Kevin] De Bruyne, [Jesus] Navas, nor [Karim] Benzema, [Gareth] Bale, [Luka] Modric or…in general, with all the creative players, neither team created chances. What was the figure? Joe Hart saved from two corners, Pepe made a couple of important interventions, but unfortunately there was very little creativity.
“The most important thing is to win. I would prefer not to win with a refereeing error, as with Malaga and Borussia Dortmund. It’s an incomplete feeling. I don’t like, when there’s a semi-final in a full stadium and millions seeing it on television, to try to qualify by any means. I don’t think that way. The chances of reaching a final are much better with good play. Or with an error.”
