Erling Haaland was in defiant mood despite being left on the bench as Manchester City suffered a heavy two-legged Champions League defeat to Real Madrid.
Kylian Mbappé scored a hat-trick as the holders eased to a 3-1 second-leg victory – 6-3 on aggregate – to progress to the round of 16.
Haaland had put City 1-0 and 2-1 up in the first leg only for them to lose 3-2, conceding in the 86th and 92nd minute.
He posted on X: “We remain as one, sometimes you have to experience this in life and learn from it, you can’t always win. We’ll rise again together.”
Trailing league leaders Liverpool by 16 points – albeit with a game in hand – the FA Cup is their only remaining chance of a trophy.
Darwin Nunez reacted differently on X to missing an open goal as the Reds drew 2-2 at Aston Villa.
His post – which he later deleted – said: “Two weeks ago, Darwin was the best, Darwin gave us the three points.
“But yesterday I was unlucky enough to miss a goal and I am once again the “worst” and the failure.”
Haaland and Nunez will go head to head when their two clubs meet on Sunday.
Feature Image: Etihad Stadium by Mark Strickland.
