Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini commended Sevilla on their performance in the Champions League meeting between the sides.
City won through a late Kevin De Bruyne goal after Yevhen Konoplyanka gave Sevilla the lead, cancelled out before half time when Adil Rami put the ball into his own net.
“It was a balanced match, played with intensity and it wasn’t easy for us,” former Villarreal, Real Madrid and Malaga Coach Pellegrini said, AS reports.
“It was important to equalise before half time. I think we improved in the last 10 minutes and those 10 minutes showed we were strong enough to win the game.”
Pellegrini was questioned about two changes – his decision to withdraw the only City striker, Wilfried Bony, for a defender, and Unai Emery’s withdrawal of Ever Banega.
“The Coach likes to claim the victory but it’s the players,” he joked in reply.
“We weren’t creating danger and had to find different variations. De Bruyne was a little tired and so we got him a little further up and luckily that’s what happened.
“I don’t analyse the decisions of an opposing Coach. I’m not defending the change but Banega is coming back from a long injury, so maybe that’s why he went off.
“Sevilla played a good game and made it complicated for us. It wasn’t won by one change or another.”
