Manchester City's 3-2 loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League play-off first leg has left fans frustrated and singling out one player for criticism. The match, played at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, saw City take the lead in the 19th minute through Erling Haaland's composed finish.
However, Real Madrid equalized in the 60th minute with Kylian Mbappé's acrobatic volley past Ederson. City regained the lead when Phil Foden was fouled by Dani Ceballos in the box, allowing Haaland to convert the resulting penalty with ease.
Despite looking set for victory, City's hopes were dashed when Real Madrid staged a dramatic late comeback. Brahim Diaz leveled the score in the 86th minute, and in stoppage time, Jude Bellingham capitalized on Vinicius Jr's lobbed pass to slot home the winner, leaving Pep Guardiola stunned on the touchline.
The player who bore the brunt of City fans' criticism was Rico Lewis, who replaced Manuel Akanji at halftime. The 20-year-old struggled to contain Madrid's attack, failing to clear a bouncing ball in the buildup to Vinicius Jr's assist for the decisive goal.
Fans took to social media to express their disappointment, with one fan writing, "Rico Lewis, I swear, they will never convince me that you're good." Another added, "Rico Lewis is not Premier League quality. Loan him to the Championship."
The criticism didn't stop there, with fans questioning Pep Guardiola's decision to bring on Lewis instead of Khusanov. One fan commented, "Why bring on Lewis against Vinicius Jr when Khusanov is a better defender with more pace? Another Pep disaster-class!"
With the second leg still to come, City will need to regroup quickly if they hope to overturn the deficit and keep their Champions League dreams alive. The pressure is on, and fans will be hoping for a improved performance from the team, particularly from Rico Lewis, who will be looking to redeem himself.
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