'We allowed them' - Pep Guardiola explains why Man City lost to Al Hilal

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was left to rue a host of missed first-half opportunities as the Premier League champions suffered a shock 4-3 extra time defeat elimination from the Club World Cup against Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal on Monday.

Marcos Leonardo was the hero for the Riyadh-based side, bagging a brace, including the decisive winner in the 112th minute, while a standout performance from goalkeeper Yassine Bounou in the opening half proved pivotal for Al-Hilal.

Guardiola, who led City to the Club World Cup title in 2023, acknowledged the high stakes of the competition.

He said, "The level in this competition is a World Cup. The only regret I have is that we allowed them to run a little bit more than expected."

He continued, "Against a team that defended so deep, the wingers have been brilliant. The chances that we had in many, many departments. Bounou made a lot of saves and, in the end, you have to score, you have to be clinical.

“We would have loved to continue, it's not easy to be here once every four years. The team still has that feeling, that the team is doing well. But we go home and now it's time to rest, to refresh our minds and come back for next season."

Al-Hilal will face Brazil's Fluminense in the quarter-final while Manchester City will now return to England.