Man City’s Champions League Meltdown: Gundogan and Ake React to Feyenoord Collapse
Manchester City’s winless streak extended to six games after a shocking 3-3 draw against Feyenoord in the Champions League at the Etihad Stadium. Despite taking a commanding 3-0 lead by the 53rd minute through goals from Erling Haaland and Ilkay Gundogan, City conceded three times in just 14 minutes, allowing Feyenoord to snatch an unlikely draw.
The collapse, labeled an “absolute disaster” by Alan Shearer, follows five consecutive defeats, deepening the crisis for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Gundogan Speaks Out: “Only Ourselves to Blame”
After the match, Ilkay Gundogan, one of City’s most experienced players, didn’t hold back when speaking to The Guardian. Reflecting on the draw and City’s alarming form, he said:
“So quickly after the game I don’t have the answers. The goals we conceded are inexplicable, in terms of the way we conceded them. There is only ourselves to blame.”
Gundogan emphasized the team’s failure to maintain control:
“**Sometimes you struggle in games, no matter who the opponent is. Even when you play at home against a side you should dominate, you will concede chances because every team is good enough right now to create.
But 75 minutes, 3-0 up, controlling, then giving it away so easily. They were ruthless. It’s probably more us to blame, but they punished us in every situation they got, scoring three. It’s very tough to take.**”
Nathan Ake: “We Invited Too Much Pressure”
Nathan Ake, who started in Tuesday’s game, also shared his thoughts on City’s collapse. Analyzing the final 20 minutes, Ake pointed to a lack of urgency and mental resilience:
“**You just have to stay strong mentally. At 3-1, they then push on, but I think we need to go for it a bit earlier so we could keep the pressure on them. We stayed playing at the back and maybe invited more pressure on us.
Then when you concede the second one, there is even more pressure, and then we have to stay stronger mentally.**”
City’s Struggles in Numbers
Despite dominating possession (64%) and registering 18 shots to Feyenoord’s 10, City lacked sharpness in key moments. The visitors created four big chances to City’s two, capitalizing ruthlessly on defensive lapses.
Next Stop: Anfield Showdown
While this draw technically broke City’s losing streak, it felt like another defeat for players accustomed to winning trophies. With Liverpool awaiting them at Anfield on Sunday, City face a defining moment in their season. A victory against the league leaders could reignite their campaign, but failure to win could deepen their ongoing slump.
As Gundogan aptly summed up the situation: “It’s very tough to take.” For a team struggling to find answers, the clash with Liverpool presents both a challenge and an opportunity to turn things around.
