Manchester City faced a wave of boos from their own supporters on Tuesday after squandering a three-goal lead in a dramatic 3-3 draw against Feyenoord in the Champions League, extending their winless streak to six matches.
The jeers echoed around the Etihad Stadium following a stunning comeback by Feyenoord, who leveled the match with a goal in the 89th minute, leaving the home crowd in shock.
“They are disappointed. Of course, we understand it,” said City manager Pep Guardiola. “They are completely right to express what they feel.”
After suffering five consecutive losses across all competitions, City appeared to be on track for a much-needed victory, racing to a 3-0 lead within the first 50 minutes. However, Feyenoord’s Anis Hadj Moussa scored in the 75th minute, followed by Santiago Gimenez in the 82nd and David Hancko in the 89th, turning the match on its head.
This result marked the first time in Guardiola’s managerial career that his team failed to win after leading 3-0, according to stats provider Opta. It was also the first instance since 1989 that City had failed to secure a victory from such a commanding position.
“We lost a lot of games lately, we are fragile, and of course we need a victory,” Guardiola acknowledged. “The game was good for the confidence; we were playing at a good level, but the first time something happened, we had problems.”
While a win would have propelled City to fifth place in the Champions League standings, the draw left them languishing in 15th with three matches remaining in the group stage. The top eight teams will advance to the round of 16, while those ranked ninth to 24th will enter a playoff.
As the match concluded, City players, including Bernardo Silva, Josko Gvardiol, and Erling Haaland, showed visible frustration while departing the pitch, in stark contrast to the jubilant Feyenoord fans celebrating in the away section.
“If you are 3-0 up at home, you can never give it away like this. It is what it is at the moment. The only thing we can do is fight back and stay strong,” said City defender Nathan Ake.
Looking ahead, City will face Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday, where a defeat could leave them 11 points behind their title rivals.
“We will learn for the future. It has been and will be a tough season for us, and we have to accept it,” Guardiola said, noting a cut on his nose from scratching it with his fingernail during the match.
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