Man City: Pep Guardiola needs improvement for Champions League play-offs
2025-01-30
Category: sports

Manchester City's Champions League campaign could have gone the same way as the merchandise stand outside Etihad Stadium that went up in flames before kick-off - but a firefighting act on the pitch meant they scraped into the play-offs.Even City manager Pep Guardiola sensed the bad omens, saying: "When I saw the fire before the game I thought 'the journalists have their headlines already'."Thankfully, no-one was hurt in that pre-match drama, while City were also able to finally emerge unscathed from a night of tension and nerves, displaying more of the fragility that has characterised their season.It's Real Madrid or Bayern Munich next - a scenario that might send shudders down the spine of the most ardent City follower.City's final placing of 22nd in the new Champions League opening phase after Wednesday's 3-1 win against Club Brugge should be a source of embarrassment to a club of such high ambition, winners of this tournament in 2023.And yet, for a short while, it look like it was going to be a lot worse as Guardiola's side faced the humiliation of not even making the play-offs.Apart from one noisy corner occupied by Brugge fans, you could have heard a pin drop when Raphael Onyedika's low drive right on half-time left City needing two goals to score the win they required.A play-off spot would have been viewed as an unlikely consolation prize at the start of the campaign. When even that began to fade from view, this season's sense of crisis was heightening.City were vulnerable at the back, with weakness out wide once more, and blunt in attack. This was only the second time a team managed by Guardiola failed to have a first-half shot on target, following on from a game against Borussia Dortmund in September 2022.Those home fans inside the stadium were subdued. City had given their supporters nothing to ease their growing concerns.Guardiola had gone through agonies in his technical area, clutching his head in anguish on several occasions as City were hit on the break, also aiming a wild kick at a drinks box, although he laughed this off afterwards with a reminder about his stellar playing career at Barcelona.
In the wider context, this was City's season on the line - European ambitions threatened while languishing 12 points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool, their hold on that crown loosened.It is to City's credit that they responded, helped by Guardiola's effective change of Savinho for Ilkay Gundogan at half-time, meaning the manager avoided the fate of failing to reach the knockout stage for the first time in his silver-lined career.If City had gone out, it would have ended a run of 11 successive seasons in which they have reached the knockout stage - anything else would have been a severe body blow to the pride and status of a club who cherish their place at Europe's top table.City survived what would have been their biggest embarrassment under Guardiola, but on current form a play-off against either Real or Bayern to reach the last 16 cannot be approached with confidence.It was only when the unfortunate Joel Ordonez turned Josko Gvardiol's cross into his own net to give City the lead that Brugge's threat was finally extinguished, their supporters also celebrating at the final whistle as they sneaked into the play-offs in 24th place.The home side got there in the end, but this campaign has so far offered nothing to suggest there should be any fears for either Madrid's elder statesman boss Carlo Ancelotti or for the City legend who is now Bayern's coach, Vincent Kompany."We deserve it," said Guardiola of City's play-off fate. "I don't know if they are happy to play against us but it is what it is. No complaints. We're going to face them - one is the king of the competition, the other is the second or third."The defeats City suffered against Juventus, Sporting and Paris St-Germain, along with the collapse against Feyenoord to draw after leading 3-0 with 16 minutes left, will offer all the encouragement their next opponents need.And even if these formidable hurdles are overcome, City will then face Diego Simeone's nuggety Atletico Madrid or Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16.Easier? Not by much.
Even in victory here, City were too often vulnerable on the counter-attack, with too many spaces in midfield for Club Brugge to exploit, but they dug deep when it mattered and clawed themselves out of the hole they were in.City will somehow have to fashion a vast improvement in the short period between this win and the play-offs if they are not to slip out at that stage.This was unthinkable at the start of the season given their pedigree, but it has become very thinkable in recent weeks, especially after the fearful going over they got when losing 4-2 in Paris.Guardiola, relieved as well as pleased, is hoping City will soon be in a stronger position, able to call on new forward Omar Marmoush among others, while history is littered with teams who turned early struggles into Champions League triumph.John Stones made a welcome return, while Guardiola is hoping others such as Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake could be back, along with Oscar Bobb, while Kevin de Bruyne can acquire more minutes and fitness.Guardiola can also call on the memories of beating Bayern and Real on their way to Champions League final victory against Inter Milan in Istanbul in 2023."It might seem impossible today, but tomorrow the mindset, the vibes will change," Guardiola said. "We will try against Real or Bayern. We will create problems. These players have something special. We will try to do it."It was almost the talk of an underdog, rarely Manchester City's station in recent years.This is where they stand now in this tournament - but when a team of proven quality have a fighting chance, then can defy the odds.City, however, will have to climb several levels if this painful, tortuous Champions League journey is to continue in the last 16.