Guardiola rues Champions League final defeat

Lisbon: Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola lamented the loss of the UEFA Champions League to Chelsea on Saturday night.

Afterwards, the Spanish coach, who has not won a European tournament for almost a decade, preferred to focus on the efforts of his team.

"I did my best to choose the team and tried to choose the best players to win, as I always do. We had a hard time breaking Chelsea's lines in the first half," he explained.

Guardiola maintained that the second part of the game was much better. "It is not easy against a team with a defensive structure like Chelsea. We suffered a little with long balls and second balls. In moments like these, inspiration is needed."

However, the coach said that he played "a good final, considering that it was the first time" that Manchester City had reached this stage.

"We showed courage, especially in the second half. The players did everything and left everything on the field. I want to congratulate them for the incredible game and for the way they played today," he recalled.

According to Guardiola, it was an "exceptional season" for City, who "unfortunately failed to win".

"We are going to work even harder to get back here. I don't have enough insight now to think about the next season. This season was very tough for us in the middle of a pandemic and all that. It remains for me to say that we are sad. Congratulations to Chelsea," he concluded.