Sport
Guardiola Names Ederson as City’s Best Player in Real Madrid Defeat
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has singled out goalkeeper Ederson as his team’s standout performer despite their 3-2 loss to Real Madrid in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League playoff on Tuesday.
City took the lead through Erling Haaland, but Kylian Mbappe quickly pulled Madrid level.
Haaland restored the advantage from the penalty spot, only for Brahim Diaz to equalize in the 86th minute. In stoppage time, Jude Bellingham sealed the win for Madrid, giving them the edge going into the second leg.
Speaking after the match, Guardiola admitted it was a tough battle and praised Ederson for keeping City in the game.
“This is the fourth time we’ve played Madrid in a row, and in the previous three, we were much better. But today was different—they had their chances, and Ederson was our best player,” he said.
He also acknowledged that sometimes, a team can play well but not get the result they want.
Chiamaka Nnadozie has been shortlisted for the Best Goalkeeper award in the French Arkema Premier League.
The Paris FC star is up against PSG’s Mary Earps and Lyon’s Christiane Endler for the top spot.
So far this season, Nnadozie has racked up 10 clean sheets, while Endler has 13 and Earps has 8.
Last season, Nnadozie made history as the first African—and Nigerian—to win the prestigious award.
The 24-year-old also bagged the National Union of Professional Footballers’ Best Goalkeeper title for the 2023/24 season. She’s currently regarded as the best goalkeeper on the African continent.
Former Real Madrid star Luis Figo has come to the defense of current manager Carlo Ancelotti, calling him the most successful coach in the club’s history.
Figo’s comments came after Ancelotti faced criticism following Real Madrid’s elimination from the UEFA Champions League by Arsenal. The team was defeated 5-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals, prompting questions about Ancelotti’s future at the club, even though his contract runs until the summer of 2026.
Speaking to Gazzetta, Figo expressed his surprise at the backlash, noting that people often forget the bigger picture after a single result. “I know this world has a short memory. It’s hard to see beyond the most recent game,” he said, emphasizing that this is especially true in Madrid.
Figo also found it odd that, after the defeat to Arsenal, discussions focused solely on Ancelotti’s future. “It seems absurd to me that his ability would be questioned,” he added. “In football, you can’t win all the time, and that’s true even for Real Madrid.”
Brazilian football icon Cafu has highlighted Rodrygo as the driving force behind Real Madrid’s attacking success, placing him above the likes of Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Jude Bellingham in terms of influence on the team’s play.
In a recent chat with SPORT, Cafu emphasized how crucial Rodrygo has become, stating that the team struggles creatively when the 24-year-old isn’t at his best. He noted that when Rodrygo is on form, it positively affects other key players like Vinícius, Valverde, Mbappé, and Bellingham.
Cafu described Rodrygo as a central figure in the squad’s dynamics, someone who helps Real Madrid connect and move forward effectively on the pitch. With 13 goals and 10 assists so far this season, Rodrygo’s impact is clear.
Having joined Real Madrid from Santos in 2019, the Brazilian winger continues to grow into one of the most vital players in the team’s setup.
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