Man City STILL don't know what is behind the struggles this season, reveals Ake

Nathan Ake admitted that Manchester City are struggling to put a finger on their struggles this season.

Yet again, City blew a lead as Real Madrid scored twice in the last five minutes on Tuesday night to take a one-goal advantage into next week’s Champions League play-off second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Pep Guardiola’s side also threw away leads against Feyenoord, PSG and Sporting Lisbon earlier in the league phase of the competition this season and now have an almighty task awaiting them in Madrid.

‘To give it away like that (conceding twice in the last five minutes) is frustrating and hard to take, especially because it’s happened a few times now this season. We haven’t learnt from it yet so we have to do that as soon as possible,’ said Ake.

Asked why it keeps happening, Ake added: ‘It’s difficult. We’re trying to find out why. It’s little things and little details. Some games you can get away with it but in these games, you won’t get away with it because they (Real Madrid) are obviously a top team. The next one is coming thick and fast so we have to make sure we’re ready for that.’

And the 29-year-old admitted it was concerning that Carlo Ancelotti’s side cut through City with ease, with Madrid having 20 attempts and eight on target across 90 minutes.

‘Against these types of players, you’re going to concede chances. They have top players upfront but obviously we have to do better sometimes collectively as defenders and as a team,’ said Ake.

‘Most of the time, we did well to keep them out - Eddy with a few saves, a few tackles here and there. That’s what we have to do again. In the end, we were winning 2-1 but still didn’t win so that’s the main thing’

Ake also refused to believe that the massive Rodri Ballon d’Or banner held pre-match by City supporters had any impact, with Vinicius going on to put in a player of the match display for the current Champions League holders.

‘I didn’t see the banner, I don’t know what it was. To be fair, it’s got nothing to do with us as a team. We just focus on the game,’ he said.

And the Dutchman insisted that City still believe they can turn things around in Madrid even though they have only won there once (in 2019-20) on six occasions.

‘Yeah, of course (we believe),’ said Ake. ‘There’s one goal in it. In some phases, we showed what we can do - we created some good chances, played some good football. If we get that right next week, hopefully we can go through.’