Manchester City sent shockwaves around Europe last night, accounting for Barçelona with the type of stunning fightback that legends are made of. To see a talent-overloaded Catalan side (to which both Chelsea and Arsenal fans will testify frequently get away with murder) being ripped to shreds at a pace that reduced their referee to a bystander was stunning.
Make no mistake about it, Barçelona are one of the elite European club sides who benefit crystal clearly from a ‘UEFA Protectorate’ that paves their way to massive end of season blockbuster games both on and off the pitch to mutual financial benefit. This isn’t JB going all Grassy Knollington out of Viz magazine, it’s a fact with every overlooked dark arts foul and every hot balled draw that the disgraced Sepp Blatter referred to as his own gravy train crashed into the buffers.
A euro for Pep Guardiola’s thoughts as he begins to experience what life is like on the other side of the Champions League wall of privilege. Outwardly, he was once again last night thoroughly dignified and pragmatic in his post-match press conference, especially with regard to controversial incidents, but inwardly surely he too must have frowned at one of the most spectacularly biased officiating performances we have ever seen at the Etihad Stadium. Hungary’s Viktor Kassai was either rank incompetent or in an aforementioned pocket. His linesmen hindered City free kicks from out wide every time with their bizarre interpretation of the rules to the extent that on two occasions an exasperated, pumped up Kevin De Bruyne remonstrated with them as to why Barça defenders were allowed to stand to close to the dead ball. The reason I draw attention to these facts is because combined to Barça’s first half devilment, they underline just how gargantuan an achievement City’s pulsating victory is. It is difficult to find the superlatives to do it the justice it deserves, but I will give it a bloody good go!
The 12th win of Pep Guardiola’s leadership of The Blues was described by the great commentator Ian Cheeseman of BBC GMR as being of a quality he had never witnessed across the 2,000 games he has steadfastly followed the cause. I can only echo how both technically and physically City simply overpowered their illustrious opponents.
Nevermind the personnel Barça could not call upon, very few hacks in The Street of Shame* gave Guardiola’s teenagers any creedence one week ago when they went down 1-0 at the Theatre of Screams. I thought the most amazing aspect of last night was how so many stellar City players whom we have seen play stand out roles in previous wins came together as one at the very top of their game to such devastating effect. It really does appear to be the case having sounded out numerous veteran Blues that in De Bruyne, 38 years on we have finally found another Colin Bell and in Ilkay Gundogan, another Frank Lampard. Gundogan in particular put Barça’s midfield in a stranglehold that Yaya Touré in his prime could not.
All credit to Pep Guardiola and his squad as they enter only their 5th month working together. Turning a losing position into a winning one against a Luis Enrique side in juggernaut mode is no mean feat. City didn’t buy into the ‘crisis’ hype of recent weeks. They stuck to their guns throughout a tricky October and never let their heads drop. Their efforts were rewarded in a brilliant riposte at West Brom and have gone on to record what is potentially the defining result of our club’s resurgence under His Highness Sheikh Mansour.
It is the seven goals thumped in during these two pivotal wins which emphasise why a patient City invested so much in bringing Pep to Manchester. He talks a hell of a lot of sense and right now he is adamant that we should all be mindful of the fact that we are still a long way from becoming one of Europe’s great sides. Yet surely like us he must be bursting inside with excitement at what these players could achieve. We didn’t just beat Barça, we smashed them.
And so back to the Premier League. One more game to go before another dreary international break and newly promoted Middlesbrough are coming to town on Saturday. This is where The Blues can right the wrongs of the baffling recent home draws with Everton and Southampton and ensure we continue to top the table into mid November.
Listen to the gaffer, Blues. Feet on the ground, but make damn sure you relish every moment of this. There will be much more to come.
The Street of Shame* copyright Private Eye
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