Manuel Pellegrini blames Pep Guardiola for Manchester City's failure to win the Premier League
Manchester City’s manager Manuel Pellegrini has blamed his replacement Pep Guardiola for Manchester City’s poor results in the Premier League. Manchester City announced Guardiola will be taking over from Pellegrini in February and since that announcement, City lost crucial home games against Leicester and Tottenham.
"Of course for different reasons we lost important games in February, against Leicester and Tottenham, two games which do not allow us to be involved in the title," the outgoing City manager said.
"I am frustrated because we never expected to lose those games at home against Leicester and Tottenham. But there are a lot of reasons why those things happened, it's not normal in the way we are going to finish the season.
"At the start of February there was news about the change of the manager, about players who will not continue here next season, about a lot of things that involved the minds of all the players.
"It's not easy for the players when you read in newspapers all things that will happen next season, all the players who will go out, all the players that will come in. It's not easy for the players to focus their mind."
Manchester City will be hoping to secure Champions League football in the 5 remaining matches.
Zidane expecting tough clash against Manchester City
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane expects a tough Champions League semi-final football clash with Manchester City.
Manchester City was considered to be the most accessible of the three possible rivals Madrid could face with the other semi pairing of Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich. Zidane's side have been favoured for having the second leg at their home ground, the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, reports Xinhua.
It is the sixth consecutive time that Madrid have had the return leg at home, but Zidane didn't want to speak about the luck of the draw.
"It is a semi-final and it will be a very very difficult game. The only positive thing about it is that we have the return in the Bernabeu," he said, brushing aside words from Manchester City sporting director, Txiki Beguristein that Madrid were favourites to reach the final.
"Everyone will say we are favourites, but we know how hard City are and we will prepare our best to face them," he said.
Pellegrini will be hoping to end his last season as Manchester City manager on a victorious note.