Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged that his team struggled to match Bournemouth’s intensity during their 2-1 defeat on Saturday, which ended their 32-game unbeaten streak in 2024.
Antoine Semenyo opened the scoring for Bournemouth, followed by a second goal from Evanilson. Although Josko Gvardiol managed to pull one back for City, it was only a consolation.
In his post-match interview with BBC, Guardiola said:
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“We knew we couldn’t match their intensity. We discussed it beforehand. It was an open game, and while we had chances at the end, I congratulate Bournemouth on their victory.
“They excelled in the 50-50 balls and duels; they play that kind of aggressive game. With six to seven days to prepare, they brought physicality and speed. We need to win those situations, and they created their chances.
“Ederson made a great save, and we had strong moments at the start of the second half. After we scored, we gained momentum and had more chances, but we couldn’t find the net again.”