Obviously, so disoriented at night, and the season in general, some of Manchester City players fought to leave Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday. Turn left when the route was clearly correct.
Looking around perplexed, a little stunned. Require help to assign your way to the team coach. The episode was not doing much to dissipate the idea that Pep Guardiola is guiding several old golds on a tour ended abruptly in Madrid.
Underground, played a busker and his purple guitar The final Countdown For Europe, and also played it very well, when hundreds of hundreds poured the subway. “We go together, but still, his farewell” is the first line and this iteration of City said goodbye to the elite competition in the best cathedral of all, trying to keep up with the rhythm of their own successes.
How many of them have left the continent with city shirts for the last time? The story says at least.
Back in the first season of Guardiola, they lost 3-1 in Monaco in the first round of knockout, a defeat due to individual errors that the effort without teeth against Real Madrid this week, which reminds more of Manuel's final agonies Pellegrini on the same land. in the 2016 semifinal.
Guardiola and City reacted to Monaco. Four of the entrants, Willy Caballero, Gael Clichy, Bacario Sagna, Aleksandr Kolarov, everything was in summer. From the bench, Claudio Bravo was in borrowed, Jesús Navas left, Yaya Toure Marginado, Pablo Zabaleta gave an emotional farewell. Kelechi Iheanacho went to Leicester City.
Man City was surpassed by Real Madrid when they were eliminated from the Champions League
It was a difficult night for the Pep Guardiola side, which underwent an important squad review
The European departure had echoes of the city's defeat in the last 16 per Monaco in 2017
That is nine of the squad, either shattered or gave a severely reduced role. It was ruthless, the largest summer transfer window in the city, and the reaction this time could have similarities. The reasons have altered: in 2017, Guardiola complained in deprivation of a lack of character. Now the problems are evident: an old center of the field, a defensive indecision and endless injuries. And maybe, just perhaps, a fall in appetite.
They have lost part of that famous resilience, but the new signings can eventually help with that. Abdukodir Khusanov, for example, seems that some find after a good night against Vinicius Junior. That Uzbek, 20, exhibited that quality in just a few weeks after the error minutes in his city's career against Chelsea suggests that they have a good one.
“Granting so early maybe it drains the energy a bit,” Nathan Ake said. 'Maybe because there have been many setbacks this season, perhaps more than we have been accustomed.
'It is a new experience for everyone. The way we treat it with the real obviously was not good enough. We have to make sure we are more resistant, stronger in those situations when things go against us. ''
If Monaco led to nine outputs, then there could be five that leave comfortably this time. Kevin's future of Bruyne is in the air after not leaving the bank, Ilkay Gundagan is close to triggering an extension, but the 34 -year -old man is the type of individual who would kindly crash up if time were correct, and Ederson will have offers.
Bernardo Silva has dropped, Jack Grealish is more out than with Guardiola, John Stones is injured again. Add the nuns of Mateo Kovacic and Matheus in that mixture and is a list.
Not everyone will go. There are no buyers: AC Milan could choose not to activate the Kyle Walker loan option too, and some can see an improvement in fortunes that alter thought.
But what is indisputable is that we now go to Pep 5.0, the fifth version of the city of Guardiola.
Nathan Ake admitted that the city fought to recover from granting in minutes at the Bernabéu
Guardiola is ready to make several stars this summer, with five older players among those at risk
Kevin de Bruyne has not yet signed a new contract and did not leave the bank in Spain
He has had the first year, Pellegrini's hangover, then the Centuriones/Treble domestic gang, with the electrifiers of Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling, probably the purest side of the lot.
After a fall around Covid, they reinvented them with new false. Latterly would be Haaland Erling's Treble team.
The number five team is on their way and how Guardiola's attacks are interesting. With 13 remaining games, the first of which is Liverpool at home, exactly the same accessory that immediately after Monaco so many years ago (they drawn 1-1 at that time), the city needs to ensure the football of the Champions League. They sit in fourth place and in the driving seat, but the car has already left the road many times this year.
The tested and proven falsify these days and also need to bed in a younger harvest of players, so Khusanov playing more frequently, Omar Marmoush, a certain selection, Nico González anchor the center of the field. That gives City plus an advantage in reconstruction, with four or five chances of arriving in the summer.
They have to look to the future now, with only the FA Cup that has left to win and the Club World Cup on the horizon. The uncomfortable Club World Cup, which could greatly affect its beginning for the next season. Potential of the last 16 opponents in the United States? Real Madrid. The great stranger is how many of the potential outings will even reach that tournament in June.