Despite winning every major trophy at Manchester City, Pep Guardiola claimed his side struggle against the big teams following their 4-2 Champions League defeat to PSG on Wednesday night.
The 2023 winners went into the showdown at the Parc des Princes hoping to boost their chances of making the play-offs of the competition.
City looked as though they'd secure victory when Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland struck within the space of three minutes after the interval.
Yet PSG, who have struggled in Europe themselves this term, came roaring back following goals from Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola, Joao Neves and Goncalo Ramos.
Pep Guardiola believes Man City struggle against the big teams, despite winning everything, following their 4-2 Champions League defeat to PSG
REUTERS
Guardiola has won every major trophy at City ever since replacing Manuel Pellegrini back in 2016.
But he's now claimed that his team have to 'accept' that they struggle against some of the better sides on the planet following the nightmare result.
"We suffered and they were better - better intensity to win duels," he admitted.
"In the big stages, the big teams, we struggle. We have to accept it."
City will need to beat Club Brugge on Wednesday night to keep their hopes of staying in the Champions League alive.
That's a scenario that seemed unfeasible at the start of the side, especially given how they won the trophy just 18 months ago.
Guardiola admits, however, that City will 'deserve' what they get if they're unable to go through.
"We have a last chance against Bruges. If we don't do it then it's because we don't deserve it," he admitted.
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Another frustrating aspect of City's performance was their inability to keep hold of the ball.
PSG dominated possession, had a better pass accuracy and completed more passes during the showdown in the French capital.
A frustrated Guardiola continued: "We have to defend with the ball or it's impossible to play well.
"Keep the ball, the extra pass. The connection with Bernardo (Silva) and (Mateo) Kovacic was not possible or not good and we could not make the process.
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Pep Guardiola's Man City side threw away a 2-0 lead to lose 4-2 to PSG on Wednesday night
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"I tried different things but we couldn't keep the ball."
Meanwhile, City star Grealish was also frustrated - and admitted that their struggles this term were 'weird' given the heights they've scaled over the past nine years.
"Usually in these moments we're so good," he said.
"It's happened too many times this season; when we've gone one goal, two goals up, even three against Feyenoord, and we've not been able to control the game and see it out.
Pep Guardiola bemoaned Man City's lack of quality on the ball in their Champions League defeat to PSG
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"It's weird because in every other season we've been so good in these moments, managing the game.
"I don't know if it's a confidence thing because we know that for most of this season, especially before Christmas time, we weren't really at the levels that we know we can do.
"But it's down to ourselves to try and change that moving forward.
"We have so many players on the pitch when we go two goals up that are so good with the ball, at keeping it. But we've not been doing that recently and that's down to us."
