LONDON: Tijjani Reijnders has insisted there will be no loss of nerve at Manchester City following their surprise defeat by Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.
City manager Pep Guardiola felt confident enough to make 10 changes to his team only for the side to lose 2-0 at home to Bundesliga outfit Leverkusen on Tuesday.
Defeat ended City’s unbeaten start to the league phase of European club football’s elite competition ahead of a tie with Spanish giants Real Madrid and came just days after their loss to Newcastle in the Premier League last weekend.
“Of course it’s a bummer (but) we should not lose our confidence because we did great before and we have to get back on that winning streak, and that’s by being ready for the next game on Saturday (at home to Leeds),” said Dutch midfielder Reijnders.
“Mentally we have to be ready. We know what we can do and what we showed before. It’s on us to do that again — don’t lose the confidence because we have a lot of quality in the team.
“We should not panic now. Of course losing two times in a row is not a good thing but we know there are still plenty of chances this season and we have to go game to game.”
Reijnders’s fellow midfielder Nico Gonzalez was the only player to retain his starting spot from the defeat at St. James’ Park, with Guardiola opting to rest several star names including Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Gianluigi Donnarumma.
But goals from Alejandro Grimaldo and Patrik Schick put Leverkusen on top and not even the introduction of Norway striker Haaland, who has scored 32 goals for club and country this season, with 25 minutes remaining could turn the tide for City.
Reijnders, however, was adamant this defeat would have no bearing on City’s match against record 15-time European champions Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on December 10.
“I don’t think it will put extra pressure,” he said. “We know what we can expect there from Madrid, but it’s in a couple of weeks so first let’s be ready for Saturday.”
Reijnders adamant Man City will keep calm after Leverkusen loss
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Reijnders adamant Man City will keep calm after Leverkusen loss
- “We have to get back on that winning streak, and that’s by being ready for the next game on Saturday (at home to Leeds),” said Reijnders
- “Mentally we have to be ready”
US invests in counter-drone tech to protect FIFA World Cup venues
The US will invest $115 million in counter-drone measures to bolster security around the FIFA World Cup and America’s 250th Anniversary celebrations, the Department of Homeland Security said on Monday, the latest sign of governments stepping up drone defenses.
The FIFA World Cup will be a major test of President Donald Trump’s pledge to keep the US secure, with over a million travelers expected to visit for the tournament and billions more watching matches from overseas.
The threat of drone attacks has become a growing concern since the war in Ukraine has demonstrated their lethal capabilities. And recent drone incidents have worried both European and US airports.
“We are entering a new era to defend our air superiority to protect our borders and the interior of the United States,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. Defense companies are developing a range of technologies aimed at countering drones, including tracking software, lasers, microwaves and autonomous machine guns.
The DHS did not specify which technologies it would deploy to World Cup venues. The announcement comes weeks after the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which sits under DHS, said it granted $250 million to 11 states hosting World Cup matches to buy counter-drone technologies.
Last summer, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, called on Trump, a Republican, to bolster federal support for defending against drone attacks.
