John Stones admitted he was left feeling “anger and frustration” after Manchester City fell to a 3-2 loss against Real Madrid on Tuesday.
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Stones had a feeling of “anger and frustration”
Erling Haaland scored twice to give City a 2-1 lead four minutes before full-time.
However, ex-City youngster Brahim Diaz and England midfielder Jude Bellingham sparked a late comeback for Madrid at the Etihad Stadium.
The results leaves City to bounce back in their second leg of the Champions League play-off leg in Madrid next week.
“We were in the game until so late and then it’s two situations that happen and we concede,” Stones told Amazon Prime.
“It’s frustrating as a defender to come away with that result. It’s a feeling of anger and frustration.”
“We need to see games out better. The manager said we need to take accountability for what we do on the pitch, I think we do that. We need to step up when these bad moments happen.”
Deja vu for City
This is not the first time City have paid the price for a late collapse this season.
In the Champions League alone, they’ve squandered leads against Sporting CP, Feyenoord, Paris Saint-Germain, and now Madrid.
“After 2-1, it happened what has happened many times this season,” Guardiola told a news conference.
“Against Feyenoord, Sporting, Brentford, [Manchester] United. At the end we give away. At that level it is so difficult. It is not the first time, it has happened many times, and that is why it is difficult.”
“We talk about that but that is hard. It has happened many times.”
Despite the first-leg loss, Stones urges the team to stay positive, even though he acknowledges it is difficult for them to do so.
“We had a great opportunity to go to the Bernabeu with a 2-1 lead,” Stones said. “It’s not done. We have to stay positive, which is difficult now.”
“As the manager says we need to look at ourselves and take accountability. It is avoidable from us as the eleven on the pitch. We have to do better, it’s as simple as that. We have to keep a positive mentality and try to put it right.”
