The German defender's two strong displays against City's Norwegian hitman helped Madrid hold their own across 210 minutes of thrilling quarter-final action, ending in a 4-4 aggregate draw before the shoot-out.
"Congratulations to Real Madrid, they defend so deep, with incredible solidarity," Guardiola said. "We did everything. I have no regrets about what we've done. Defensively, offensively, we played exceptional in all departments, in everything, and unfortunately we couldn't win, so that's what it is."
City host Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Thursday [1am, Bangladesh Time] at the Etihad having overcome them in the semi-finals last season on their way to winning the competition for the first time.
City have won all 14 games at the Etihad this year by a combined score of 49-7 as Pep Guardiola's men close in on a potential treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup
The 31-year-old De Bruyne, like the rest of City's high-quality collection of internationals, has been outshone by Haaland's record-shredding first season in England.
The City coach said his team would try and capitalise on an "opportunity" instead of aiming to make Carlo Ancelotti's reigning champions pay for eliminating them at the same stage last season
The German defender's two strong displays against City's Norwegian hitman helped Madrid hold their own across 210 minutes of thrilling quarter-final action, ending in a 4-4 aggregate draw before the shoot-out.
"Congratulations to Real Madrid, they defend so deep, with incredible solidarity," Guardiola said. "We did everything. I have no regrets about what we've done. Defensively, offensively, we played exceptional in all departments, in everything, and unfortunately we couldn't win, so that's what it is."
City host Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Thursday [1am, Bangladesh Time] at the Etihad having overcome them in the semi-finals last season on their way to winning the competition for the first time.
City have won all 14 games at the Etihad this year by a combined score of 49-7 as Pep Guardiola's men close in on a potential treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup
The 31-year-old De Bruyne, like the rest of City's high-quality collection of internationals, has been outshone by Haaland's record-shredding first season in England.
The City coach said his team would try and capitalise on an "opportunity" instead of aiming to make Carlo Ancelotti's reigning champions pay for eliminating them at the same stage last season
