Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola admits they have a “problem” with penalties as they sealed top spot in their Champions League group with a 0-0 draw at Borussia Dortmund despite Riyad Mahrez failing from the spot.
City have failed to score 25 of their 80 penalties, excluding shootouts, since the Catalan took over in 2016.
Mahrez was fouled by Emre Can and stepped up himself, but Gregor Kobel went the right way to save his kick.
Borussia Dortmund also went through to the last 16 with the draw, so both sides will be happy with the result.
“Since I’ve been here we’ve missed 25 penalties, most of them in the Champions League,” Guardiola said.
“It’s too many. You always have to admire the courage, but missing so many penalties is a problem.
“We have to improve. It comes down to fine margins in this competition and these situations can make the difference.”
City’s Champions League penalty scoring record (71%, 12/17) is actually slightly better than their Premier League record (69%, 36/52).
Former Scotland forward James McFadden, watching the game for BBC Radio 5 Live, said: “I think it was a very good penalty from Mahrez. It’s a side foot with a lot of power, what a save.”
Mahrez has now missed three of his past four penalties for City, after scoring nine of his first 10.
Player | Penalty record | % success rate |
Sergio Aguero | 20/28 | 71 |
Riyad Mahrez | 10/14 | 71 |
Gabriel Jesus | 5/10 | 50 |
Kevin de Bruyne | 7/9 | 78 |
Raheem Sterling | 3/7 | 43 |
Ilkay Gundogan | 4/6 | 67 |
Yaya Toure | 3/3 | 100 |
Erling Haaland | 2/2 | 100 |
Rodri | 1/1 | 100 |
City boss Guardiola surprisingly replaced top scorer Erling Haaland at half-time after just 13 touches. He revealed afterwards that the Norwegian had a fever and a knock.
Dortmund had good chances too, with 17-year-old Youssoufa Moukoko slotting wide and debutant City keeper Stefan Ortega making several saves.
City get job done but below best again
City will be happy to have won their Champions League group with a game to spare, but it is just one win in their past four games in all competitions now.
Last time out in Europe they drew 0-0 in Copenhagen, and then lost their unbeaten record to Liverpool in the league – before beating Brighton on Saturday.
Guardiola mixed things up with his line-up in Dortmund, giving a debut to 29-year-old keeper Ortega, a summer signing, with Ederson left on the bench.
The German did well to deny Karim Adeyemi and Moukoko in the first half.
Julian Alvarez, who played behind Haaland, made his fourth start for the club, and was one of only three players to test Kobel – along with Ilkay Gundogan and Mahrez with his failed penalty, all in the second half.
Nathan Ake headed a decent chance over too.
Maybe if Haaland, with 22 goals in his first three months at City, was still on, he might have taken it.
Cancelo was taken off too, another player who will not be happy with his first half – with Adeyemi getting the better of him on several occasions out wide.
It is all ultimately academic, with City topping the group amid a relentless pre-World Cup fixture list – but recent performances continue to dip below their early-season swashbuckling form.
Analysis
Former Scotland forward James McFadden on BBC Radio 5 Live
It was really competitive, Dortmund really tried to frustrate City and it was very impressive. They offered a real threat to go and win the game in the first half.
City just couldn’t get in behind the defence and they couldn’t find the way to open Dortmund up.
Maybe both sides didn’t take risks because they knew they didn’t have to win the game.
Player of the match
BellinghamJude Bellingham
Borussia Dortmund
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Squad number22Player nameBellinghamAverage rating
7.70
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Squad number15Player nameHummelsAverage rating
6.58
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Squad number19Player nameBrandt
Average rating6.43
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Squad number23Player nameCan
Average rating6.38
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Squad number1Player nameKobel
Average rating6.36
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Squad number18Player nameMoukoko
Average rating6.32
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Squad number10Player nameT Hazard
Average rating6.32
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Squad number4Player nameSchlotterbeck
Average rating6.25
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Squad number25Player nameSüle
Average rating6.23
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Squad number7Player nameReyna
Average rating6.17
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Squad number27Player nameAdeyemi
Average rating6.01
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Squad number20Player nameModeste
Average rating5.57
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Squad number17Player nameWolf
Average rating5.54
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Squad number47Player namePapadopoulos
Average rating5.17
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Squad number21Player nameMalen
Average rating5.16
Manchester City
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Squad number18Player nameOrtegaAverage rating
7.29
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Squad number5Player nameStonesAverage rating
7.23
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Squad number25Player nameAkanjiAverage rating
7.22
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Squad number20Player nameBernardo SilvaAverage rating
6.89
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Squad number6Player nameAkéAverage rating
6.82
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Squad number8Player nameGündoganAverage rating
6.74
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Squad number80Player namePalmerAverage rating
6.69
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Squad number3Player nameRúben DiasAverage rating
6.64
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Squad number47Player nameFodenAverage rating
6.59
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Squad number16Player nameRodriAverage rating
6.45
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Squad number19Player nameÁlvarezAverage rating
6.34
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Squad number9Player nameHaalandAverage rating
6.29
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Squad number7Player nameJoão CanceloAverage rating
6.20
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Squad number10Player nameGrealishAverage rating
6.04
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Squad number26Player nameMahrezAverage rating
4.93
Line-ups
B Dortmund
Formation 4-5-1
- 1Kobel
- 25Süle
- 15HummelsBooked at 87mins
- 4Schlotterbeck
- 10T HazardSubstituted forWolfat 82′minutes
- 27AdeyemiSubstituted forMalenat 73′minutes
- 22Bellingham
- 23Can
- 19Brandt
- 7ReynaSubstituted forPapadopoulosat 87′minutes
- 18MoukokoSubstituted forModesteat 82′minutes
Substitutes
- 17Wolf
- 20Modeste
- 21Malen
- 30Passlack
- 33Meyer
- 36Rothe
- 38Unbehaun
- 44Coulibaly
- 47Papadopoulos
Man City
Formation 4-4-2
- 18Ortega
- 5Stones
- 3Rúben Dias
- 6Aké
- 7CanceloBooked at 7minsSubstituted forAkanjiat 45′minutesBooked at 72mins
- 26MahrezSubstituted forPalmerat 88′minutes
- 16Rodri
- 8GündoganBooked at 58mins
- 47FodenSubstituted forGrealishat 81′minutes
- 9HaalandSubstituted forBernardo Silvaat 45′minutes
- 19ÁlvarezBooked at 31mins
Substitutes
- 10Grealish
- 14Laporte
- 17De Bruyne
- 20Bernardo Silva
- 25Akanji
- 31Ederson
- 33Carson
- 80Palmer
- 82Lewis
- 97Wilson-Esbrand
- Referee:
- Davide Massa
- Attendance:
- 81,000
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Borussia Dortmund 0, Manchester City 0.
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Second Half ends, Borussia Dortmund 0, Manchester City 0.
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Offside, Borussia Dortmund. Julian Brandt tries a through ball, but Anthony Modeste is caught offside.
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Dangerous play by Rúben Dias (Manchester City).
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Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Substitution, Manchester City. Cole Palmer replaces Riyad Mahrez.
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Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Julián Álvarez (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund).
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Substitution, Borussia Dortmund. Antonios Papadopoulos replaces Giovanni Reyna.
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Offside, Manchester City. Jack Grealish tries a through ball, but Bernardo Silva is caught offside.
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Offside, Manchester City. John Stones tries a through ball, but Riyad Mahrez is caught offside.
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Substitution, Borussia Dortmund. Anthony Modeste replaces Youssoufa Moukoko.
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Substitution, Borussia Dortmund. Marius Wolf replaces Thorgan Hazard.
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Substitution, Manchester City. Jack Grealish replaces Phil Foden.
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Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Mats Hummels.
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Attempt blocked. Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Dortmund) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Substitution, Borussia Dortmund. Donyell Malen replaces Karim Adeyemi.
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Manuel Akanji (Manchester City) is shown the yellow card for hand ball.
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Hand ball by Manuel Akanji (Manchester City).