Man City ready to axe five stars: JACK GAUGHAN names the players up for the chop as Guardiola moves into ‘Pep 5.0’ with echoes of Monaco 2017
Obviously so disorientated by the night, and the season as a whole, some of Manchester City’s players struggled to leave the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday. Turning left when the route out was clearly right.
Looking around puzzled, a little dazed. Requiring assistance to map their way onto the team coach. The episode wasn’t doing much to dispel the idea that Pep Guardiola is guiding a number of golden oldies around on a tour abruptly ended in Madrid.
Underground, a busker and his purple guitar played The Final Countdown by Europe – and played it very nicely too – as hundreds poured onto the metro. ‘We’re leaving together but still, it’s farewell’ is the first line and this iteration of City said its goodbyes to elite competition in the finest cathedral of them all, passively trying to keep up with the rhythm of their own hits.
How many of them have now walked out on the continent in City shirts for the last time? History says a few at least.
Back in Guardiola’s first season, they lost 3-1 away in Monaco in the first knockout round – a defeat owing more to individual errors than the toothless effort against Real Madrid this week, which was more reminiscent of Manuel Pellegrini’s final throes in the same ground in the 2016 semi-final.
Guardiola and City reacted to Monaco. Four of the starters – Willy Caballero, Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna, Aleksandr Kolarov – all went in the summer. Of the bench, Claudio Bravo was on borrowed time, Jesus Navas left, Yaya Toure sidelined, Pablo Zabaleta given an emotional send-off. Kelechi Iheanacho headed for Leicester City.
Man City were outclassed by Real Madrid as they were knocked out of the Champions League
It was a difficult night for Pep Guardiola’s side who are set to undergo a major squad overhaul
The European exit had echoes of City’s defeat in the last 16 by Monaco back in 2017
That is nine of the squad either jettisoned or dealt a severely reduced role. It was ruthless, City’s largest summer transfer window, and the reaction this time could have similarities. The reasons have altered: back in 2017, Guardiola privately complained about a lack of character. Now the problems are self-evident: an old midfield, defensive indecision and never-ending injuries. And maybe, just maybe, a drop in appetite.
They’ve lost some of that famed resilience but new signings can eventually help with that. Abdukodir Khusanov, for example, looks some find after a fine night up against Vinicius Junior. That he’s put a display of that quality in just a few weeks after the error minutes into his City career against Chelsea suggests that they have themselves a good one.
‘Conceding so early maybe drains the energy a little bit,’ Nathan Ake said. ‘Maybe because there’s been a lot of setbacks this season – maybe more than we’ve been used to.
‘It’s a new experience for everyone. How we dealt with it against Real obviously wasn’t good enough. We have to make sure we’re more resilient, stronger in those situations when things go against us.’
If Monaco led to nine departures, then there could comfortably be five who leave this time. Kevin De Bruyne’s future is up in the air after not getting off the bench at Real, Ilkay Gundogan is close to triggering an extension but is the sort of individual who would amicably shake hands if the time was right, Ederson will have offers.
Bernardo Silva has dipped, Jack Grealish is more out than in with Guardiola, John Stones is injured again. Add Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes into that mix and it’s some list.
Not everyone will go. There might not be buyers – AC Milan could choose not to trigger the option on Kyle Walker’s loan as well – and some may see an upturn in fortunes that alter thinking.
But what is undisputed is that we’re heading into Pep 5.0 now – the fifth version of Guardiola’s City.
Nathan Ake admitted City struggled to recover from conceding within minutes at the Bernabeu
Guardiola is set to axe several stars this summer, with five senior players among those at risk
Kevin De Bruyne is yet to sign a new contract and he failed to come off the bench in Spain
He’s had the first year, the Pellegrini hangover, then the Centurions/domestic Treble gang – with the electrifying wingers of Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling, probably the purest side of the lot.
After a slump around Covid, they reinvented themselves with false nines. Latterly, it would be the Erling Haaland Treble team.
Team number five is on the way and how Guardiola attacks that is interesting. With 13 games remaining – the first of which is Liverpool at home, exactly the same fixture as immediately after Monaco all those years ago – City need to secure Champions League football. Which would lend itself to the tried and tested.
Yet the tried and tested falters these days and they also need to bed in a younger crop of players – so Khusanov playing more often, Omar Marmoush a certain pick, Nico Gonzalez anchoring midfield. That gives City more of a head start on the rebuild, with four or five likely to arrive in the summer.
They have to look to the future now, with only the FA Cup left and the Club World Cup on the horizon. The awkward Club World Cup, which could heavily impact their start to next season. Potential last-16 opponents over in America? Real Madrid. The great unknown is how many of the potential departures will even make it to that tournament in June.
