Real Madrid 1 Man City 0: Champions League semi-final was low on quality and these stats prove it
The Premier League side exited the competition with a whimper on Wednesday night
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Your support makes all the difference.Manchester City were knocked out of the Champions League on Wednesday night following what many were calling a "terrible" performance.
Manuel Pellegrini's side lost 1-0 to Real Madrid on the night, going out on aggregate by the same scoreline after the goalless draw in the first leg. It was Gareth Bale's deflected shot that ultimately split the sides.
After the match, Pellegrini said: "I think we didn't deserve to lose this game. I think Real were very lucky with their goal, or we were very unlucky because it was a deflection that put the ball in the top corner.
"None of the teams deserved to win and we should have gone to penalties. It is not that we saw Real Madrid better than us, but with the ball we were not creative enough to damage their defence."
Just how uncreative Manchester City were was backed up by the post-match statistics. The Premier League side managed just five shots in the turgid affair, with Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas needing to save just one.
Star striker Sergio Aguero, who appeared to get increasingly frustrated as the game went on, was particularly disappointing. It could be argued that he lacked any sort of service, yet the Argentine's statistics were still damning. He managed just one shot during the entire game, a somewhat speculative effort from outside the box that went over the bar. He failed to have a single touch of the ball inside Real Madrid's penalty area and he gave the ball away seven times, more than any other player on the pitch.
Arguably the worst player in the Manchester City side was Yaya Toure, who despite being asked to play in a role behind the striker, in reality occupied the centre of midfield. However those watching might not have noticed him. The Ivorian did not manage a single interception and made just one attempt at a tackle during his time on the pitch.
Manchester City's lack of creativity in front of goal should perhaps not have come as a surprise. Following last night's game, the big-spending club have managed just one shot on target in four of their last five Champions League games, with a total of seven shots on goal across those five matches.
Manchester City must now turn their attention to qualifying for next season's edition of the tournament. A top four finish is not guaranteed and they play Arsenal this weekend.
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