Manuel Pellegrini's men were outclassed in all
departments as they crashed out of the Champions League at Camp Nou and
it is clear an ageing squad needs major surgery
There was a moment in the first half when the camera found Pep Guardiola, seated among the other awe-struck socios
at Camp Nou, with his head in his hands. Lionel Messi had, in the midst
of a performance of breath-taking virtuosity, spotted James Milner
charging towards him by the touchline and reacted, in one minimalist
motion, by poking the ball through the Englishman’s legs and
nonchalantly jogging away as his opponent crumpled to the floor.
If Manchester City’s tortuous evening in Barcelona was crystallised in one moment, this was it. Inside the first five minutes their unlikely comeback mission was shown to be impossible as Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez took turns to humiliate their markers and trouble the magnificent Joe Hart. The night’s work soon became about ensuring the mismatches on the pitch were not reflected in the scoreline.
Seven years into the Sheikh Mansour project it was not supposed to be this way. Two Premier League titles and two domestic cups constitute a significant return on all the investment but the quarter-finals of the Champions League remain elusive, and on nights like this it is hard to imagine how this City team can ever truly compete with the heavyweights of Europe’s elite club competition.
Defeat will subject Manuel Pellegrini’s position to renewed scrutiny but it is difficult to see what else he might have done. The much-maligned 4-4-2 system was ditched in favour of a more conservative five-man midfield at Camp Nou but Barcelona’s superiority in all areas continued unchecked, and neither Yaya Toure nor Fernandinho even thought to track Ivan Rakitic’s run for, astonishingly, the game’s only goal.
If last month’s first leg highlighted the flaws of City’s coach, this second Catalan masterclass exposed the limitations of his players. Suarez and Neymar toyed with Aleksandar Kolarov and Bacary Sagna on the flanks while Andres Iniesta and Rakitic effortlessly passed the ball wherever they wanted and Messi drifted, embarrassing all who ventured into his orbit. At the other end Sergio Aguero, the only City player who would truly stand a chance of breaking into Barcelona’s team, gamely waged a one-man war against the home defence all evening, only to miss his best chance to make an impact from the penalty spot.
If Manchester City’s tortuous evening in Barcelona was crystallised in one moment, this was it. Inside the first five minutes their unlikely comeback mission was shown to be impossible as Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez took turns to humiliate their markers and trouble the magnificent Joe Hart. The night’s work soon became about ensuring the mismatches on the pitch were not reflected in the scoreline.
Seven years into the Sheikh Mansour project it was not supposed to be this way. Two Premier League titles and two domestic cups constitute a significant return on all the investment but the quarter-finals of the Champions League remain elusive, and on nights like this it is hard to imagine how this City team can ever truly compete with the heavyweights of Europe’s elite club competition.
Defeat will subject Manuel Pellegrini’s position to renewed scrutiny but it is difficult to see what else he might have done. The much-maligned 4-4-2 system was ditched in favour of a more conservative five-man midfield at Camp Nou but Barcelona’s superiority in all areas continued unchecked, and neither Yaya Toure nor Fernandinho even thought to track Ivan Rakitic’s run for, astonishingly, the game’s only goal.
If last month’s first leg highlighted the flaws of City’s coach, this second Catalan masterclass exposed the limitations of his players. Suarez and Neymar toyed with Aleksandar Kolarov and Bacary Sagna on the flanks while Andres Iniesta and Rakitic effortlessly passed the ball wherever they wanted and Messi drifted, embarrassing all who ventured into his orbit. At the other end Sergio Aguero, the only City player who would truly stand a chance of breaking into Barcelona’s team, gamely waged a one-man war against the home defence all evening, only to miss his best chance to make an impact from the penalty spot.
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire