Out of nine English teams participating in European competitions, only Aston Villa secured a win, defeating Lille one-nil in the first leg of the Europa League round of 16. In the Champions League round of 16 first leg, Manchester City lost to Real 0-3, Liverpool lost to Galatasaray 0-1, Chelsea lost to PSG, and Tottenham lost to Atletico, both by a score of 2-5. Arsenal drew with Leverkusen, and Newcastle drew with Barca, both 1-1.

Additionally, Nottingham Forest suffered a 0-1 home defeat to Midtjylland in the Europa League round of 16 first leg, while visiting AEK Larnaca held Crystal Palace to a 0-0 draw in the Europa Conference.

Pep Guardiola (in black) encouraged Manchester City players after their 0-3 loss to Real in the Champions League round of 16 first leg at Bernabeu stadium, Madrid, Spain on 11/3/2026. Photo: Shutterstock

During the press conference preceding Manchester City's Premier League round 30 match against West Ham, Guardiola acknowledged that these results indicate English football is no longer superior to the rest of Europe.

"I once said the Premier League was the best league in the world. But after what happened this week, perhaps it's not," the Spanish coach stated. "The Premier League is still a great competition. However, in these types of matches, anything can happen."

According to Guardiola, teams from other leagues are increasingly competitive and well-prepared for continental play. The 55-year-old coach also cited Bodo/Glimt as an example, demonstrating that lesser-known teams can become formidable opponents.

"Now, no one doubts Bodo/Glimt anymore. They are a very strong team. European competitions are always challenging, and every team is meticulously prepared," he expressed.

The 0-3 defeat at Bernabeu puts Manchester City at a disadvantage in securing a quarterfinal berth. Guardiola affirmed that Manchester City will not give up in European competition but needs to focus on the upcoming match against West Ham to continue challenging Arsenal in the Premier League.

"When you have won many titles, every match is important," Guardiola stated. "We have faced difficulties in the Premier League for many months, but we will not abandon the race until the final minute."

The Spanish coach admitted he might have made errors in player selection during the Real defeat but asserted that he cannot consistently use the same lineup for all competitions. In that match, Guardiola sparked controversy by starting four attack-minded players: Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku, Savinho, and Antoine Semenyo.

"Did we win or lose in Madrid? We lost, so people say the lineup choice was wrong. What about Newcastle? We won, so the choice was considered correct," Guardiola remarked, referring to the 3-1 victory over Newcastle in the FA Cup fifth round last weekend. "I have been heavily criticized for my Champions League decisions. I can explain why I chose that lineup, but when the team loses, no one is convinced."

Hong Duy (according to Sky Sports)