Ilkay Gündoğan proved that City are not going to be pushed around in the Champions League. Photo: Getty Images/Alexander Hassenstein
There is no bigger challenge for Manchester City this season than getting rid of past injuries in Europe. You could feel it in the growl they brought to this fight in the Bayern Munich bunker when their fans were so high up in the stands they were almost above the cloud line. Ilkay Gundogan might have been petite next to Joshua Kimmich, but he still pushed the captain of the house in the chest, just to make his presence felt. It was one of four bookings for City, whose last European Championship audition combined their usual tactical mind with their newfound pugnacious streak.
It was too much for Thomas Tuchel. The Bayern manager has already driven himself into a theatrical frenzy for seeing City's condescending tackling refereeing with a «look with your eyes» taunt. gesture towards the fourth referee at half-time. When Aymeric Laporte took on Kingsley Coman in rugby in the final stage, he couldn't take it anymore and exploded in such rage that he was sent to the stands. This is the effect City have even on a club that has won the Bundesliga 10 years in a row. Playing against them has become so unbearable that they can drive the most powerful opponents crazy.
The irritated Tuchel was finally sent to the stands. Photo: AFP/GETTY/KERSTIN JOENSSON
Jack Grealish fell on his back after the final whistle, exhausted from the quarrel. It was far from the prettiest performance by these sophisticated City personalities, but it was one of the most professional, a testament to their maturity in this endlessly dangerous competition. It was light-years removed from their previous stumbles at this stage, the healing of scar tissue that formed after the harrowing exits from the last eight against Lyon and Tottenham. But there is at least one more Rubicon to cross, the first reunion with Real Madrid in the semi-final in three weeks. time.
Of all Guardiola's grievances since last winning the Champions League trophy in 2011, he was most upset by City's last breath against Real Madrid a year ago. Everything suggested that they were ready for a second consecutive final, until two goals from Rodrigo on his last breath left him fearful that he would be damned in this tournament. The recovery was wonderful. The calmness with which they held off Bayern's bombardment in the first half here speaks of a team that has learned to negotiate the highest stakes.
Guardiola briefly congratulated himself on reaching the third semi-final in a row. But then he remembered how slightly absurd it sounded in the context of City preparing to take on true European royalty, the 14-time champions. It was tempting to characterize last year's matchup between City and Real Madrid as between aristocrats and outsiders, but the reality has changed. City prove to everyone that they set a frightening standard, and even Tuchel declares them the «benchmark». in Europe. Treble, 24 years after Manchester United became the first club in English football to do so, is still within reach.
It's strange to remember how Guardiola, irritated by his players, the superficial defense, back in January, said that City were «away»; from their highest level. Now they are arguably pushing the envelope, looking to match their compelling offensive game with stronger defensive steel. That goal was achieved at Bayern when John Stones and Manuel Akanji took on most of the threat, even if they left Coman too much room at times. They never let Bayern, so formidable when their 75,000 fans speak at full strength, think they could turn the tide.
However, Guardiola, a perfectionist to the core, was not completely satisfied, explaining that City's pass in the middle third was not consistent enough in his opinion. Such is his importance to this seemingly invincible super club. As Chelsea recently showed, you can bring in as many mind-blowingly expensive talent as you want, but none of it will matter much if you lack a leader to bring the disparate elements together. Guardiola makes over £20m a year, but from City's point of view, money can't buy his wisdom. Even after he had engineered that 4-1 overall victory over his old club Bayern (an outstanding result if there ever was one), he was still feverishly working on how to perfect the template.
It will take a standard approaching perfection. if City beat Real Madrid. The temptation to declare them favorites should be resisted, given the lineage of the opposition. But the intelligence with which they went through the difficult path in Bavaria should send an ominous signal. They have long had heavy artillery to shoot the best in Europe, but now they have a system, experience to eliminate past mistakes. In addition, they have Erling Haaland, who has never looked more deadly. The City had little need for super-strong German beer as they set off into the Munich night. After all, Guardiola brews the most intoxicating drink of all.
Свежие комментарии