PSG-Manchester City, January 22, 9 p.m., at the Parc des Princes. A poster that looks like a Champions League final. The reality is much less flashy. In the Parisian winter, beware of the vanquished. Respectively 25th and 22nd in the League phase, the two major European teams will play part of their future in C1 on a Wednesday evening in January.
The fault lies in a lackluster start to the adventure on the PSG side, stuck by a cruel lack of realism in front of the goals. On the Skyblues side, the evil seems deeper. Winners of only one of their last ten matches and dropped in the race for the Premier League title, eight points behind Liverpool, the City version of Guardiola is experiencing the greatest crisis in its history.
“It’s hard to believe,” says former defender Jamie Carragher on CBS Sports. It was a crisis two or three weeks ago, but now it has become a massive crisis. » The reigning four-time English champions who have only won one match since October 30, for two draws and seven defeats. A total loss that the Sky Blues had reached in just 105 games previously.
“City has become so predictable…”
Add to that Pep Guardiola on the verge of self-harm two weeks ago after a draw against Feyenoord (3-3) conceded after leading by three goals. “What’s happening right now is life, it’s something normal. Sometimes there are bad periods with bad results, but we will continue to fight,” tried to reassure the Spanish technician, after another defeat this Wednesday evening against Juventus (2-0).
But the one who has just extended until 2027 is the center of criticism. “The best and most successful manager, perhaps even of all time… Guardiola has no solutions left at the moment! He tried different systems, players in different positions,” continues Jamie Carragher. “Manchester City have become so predictable in the way they approach games. This is how the teams understand them,” says Lee Hendrie, former England international (1 selection) and consultant for Sky Sports.
21 – Since the start of November, Manchester City have conceded more goals across all competitions than any other team from Europe’s big five leagues (21 in nine games). Glitch. pic.twitter.com/fAtI2enYq2
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 11, 2024
The man with six English championship titles and winner of the Champions League in 2023 with City persists and yet signs with his possession football. “Of course, it’s difficult, but apart from one or two games in this period, we played well,” underlined “Pep” who always has the support of his players. “Even if the results are not in our favor at the moment, I don’t think we are far from it,” said Ilkay Gündogan. We have to find the trigger, each player must ask themselves individually the question of what they can do better so that the team collectively regains its effectiveness. »
Watch out for the injured beast
Author of only 12 goals in 10 matches, the Citizens’ armada has especially cracked defensively with 21 goals conceded since the beginning of November, a sad record among the five “major championships”. Statistics that force Pep Guardiola to “ask questions” in his own words. The coach in office since 2016 has even significantly revised his objectives downwards, now aiming for a “play-off” place, bringing back “a point from Paris” before “winning the last home match” against Bruges.
A crisis of results in which we must not neglect the importance of injuries either. Guardiola lost the Golden Ball to Rodri, the main man in his midfield, at the end of September. His other playing master Kevin De Bruyne, absent for 10 consecutive matches, is still struggling to regain his sensations, while Kyle Walker, Jérémy Doku, Jack Grealish, Manuel Akanji, Savinho and Rúben Dias have all been in the infirmary at least once.
But watch out for the wounded beast. The Skyblues are slowly starting to find their starting lineup, still led by Erling Haaland, author of three goals and an assist in his last five games, and above all have a perfect schedule in front of them to get back on track. On the program this Sunday is a Manchester derby against rival United. “If they want to get back on track, beating United will not give them confidence or allow them to fill all the gaps, but it will go a long way to reinvigorate this team and this group,” warned Rio Ferdinand on TNT Sports.
The Citizens will then head towards Boxing Day with strong opponents but within their reach (Aston Villa, Everton, Leicester, West Ham) to end the year. Salford, Brentford and Ipswich to start the next one should not be big obstacles. Enough to arrive all refreshed in Paris on January 22.
