Manchester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho has opened up on how losing to Southampton affected the team’s morale.
With a Champions League semi-final second leg on Wednesday, a 4-2 defeat on the domestic stage was not the best preparation for facing a team like Real Madrid.
The 19-year-old, a rare positive on a largely miserable afternoon for City, said: “This was not good preparation, this game didn’t give us enough confidence but we’ll put it behind us and focus on the next game.
“We need to put it behind us, it’s gone, it’s not going to come back. So many things went wrong in the game, we lost so many balls and we didn’t defend well.
“We lost so we’re not happy, but we’ll put it behind us and come back stronger.”
Iheanacho took his Premier League goals tally to seven for his breakthrough campaign with his double at Southampton, a return he hopes can convince Manuel Pellegrini to start him at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.
City battled for a goalless draw in last week’s first leg, denying Madrid an away goal, but Iheanacho accepts the visitors will face a tough task in midweek.
On his efforts to convince Pellegrini he should be starting, Iheanacho added: “I think I’m working hard towards it, I’ll keep working hard, nothing is enough in football.
“So I’ll keep working hard to build confidence. I’m pleased with my performance, getting goals in the Premier League, and I’m happy coming through to the first team this season, working hard to get more goals for them and help them in Europe.
“It was two great goals for me and the team, but unfortunately we lost so the goals don’t mean anything. But we’ll keep our heads down and focus on the next games.
“We have two games left now, we should keep focused and try to win the two games to qualify for the Champions League for next season.”
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