Chris Sutton has expressed his surprise after Pep Guardiola confirmed that Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland both asked to be substituted against Real Madrid on Tuesday night.
With the tie level at 4-4 on aggregate, Haaland was replaced by Julian Alvarez at the start of extra-time, before De Bruyne came off for Mateo Kovacic with eight minutes of the additional period left.
In his post-match press conference after his side's penalty shootout defeat, Guardiola revealed that both De Bruyne and Haaland had asked to be subbed off, saying that: "Kevin, Erling and Manu (Akanji) asked me to go out because they could not continue."
Pep Guardiola after @ManCity's penalty shootout defeat to Real Madrid:
"Erling and Kevin asked me to go out because they could not continue." 😬
🔗 https://t.co/f2DNfeF5x7 pic.twitter.com/xIxmZawrNp— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV) April 17, 2024
Chris Sutton expresses surprise at Man City pair
De Bruyne had scored the City's equaliser in a 1-1 draw on the night and he and Haaland would both have been likely candidates to take penalties in the shootout. While Alvarez came on to score his spot-kick, Kovacic was one of two City players to miss, along with Bernardo Silva.
"I've got to say, I'm really surprised if they did ask to come off," said Sutton on the Daily Mail's podcast It's All Kicking Off.
"There are those out there who would say, well, De Bruyne and Haaland, had they stayed and taken a penalty then Manchester City would have stood a better chance of winning that shootout.
"Pep has to do what's best for his team. But I can't remember too many times in my career when players on my own team asked to come off.
"So I suppose if they are injured and not available for the weekend, that's something else. But on the face of it, I'm a little bit surprised about that.'"
𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘!!!!! 🙌
City are level - and it's Kevin De Bruyne who fires in!
1-1 (4-4)#MCIRMA | #UCL pic.twitter.com/I7pNuitWGj— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) April 17, 2024
Erling Haaland a passenger of late
Compared to his exploits of last season, Haaland has looked a passenger of late, and barely got a sniff against a resilient Real Madrid defence on Wednesday night.
Who's to say whether he would have nicked a goal in extra-time, but if he and De Bruyne are lining out against Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final on Saturday, then City fans would be entitled to be irked by their early withdrawals midweek.
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