Two European powerhouses dive at the same time.
Barcelona’s Ferran Torres (right) and Raphinha try to find a solution to the game deadlock. EPA / AOP
Manchester City had already given the boot to their manager if it wasn’t for that Pep Guardiola.
The Catalan is widely regarded as one of the greatest tacticians in the history of football, but even he has not been able to unravel why City’s results have collapsed.
It all started with the League Cup match against Tottenham on October 30. Spurs won 2–1, but much worse was to come.
Since then, the reigning Premier League champions have played ten matches, winning one and drawing twice.
After Sunday’s derby loss to Manchester United, their league record is puzzling: just four points from the last seven rounds (maximum 21 points) and joint last in the standings with Southampton.
“I’m not good enough”
Soton fired his manager over the weekend by Russell Martin. City colleague Guardiola does not have the same risk, but he also has to come up with some changes.
– I’m the boss and I have to find solutions, but I just can’t find them. I’m simply not a good enough manager, he chided himself on Sunday.
Pep Guardiola is in the biggest crisis of his coaching career. EPA / AOP
Amazingly, Guardiola’s foster club, FC Barcelona, is also on the brink of an almost identical problem. It has picked up just five La Liga points since the start of November (out of 18 possible).
And naturally, Barça is also approaching the bottom of the league fitness scale. The series includes surprising home defeats to Leganés and Las Palmas, as well as a zero-point visit to San Sebastián, Real Sociedad’s home ground.
The collapse is puzzling because before that Barcelona had only dropped points once in 12 league rounds.
The teams are also united by the fact that in both cases the finger of blame points to the number one striker. City’s Erling Haaland and as Barcelona Robert Lewandowski have not been at their usual level, and no teammate has stepped up to make up for the lost powers.
Barça coach Hansi Flick sent the whole team on a mini-vacation for a couple of days after the previous league defeat. The players will return to work on Wednesday, when they will start preparing for Saturday’s Atlético match.
Manchester City will face Aston Villa in Saturday’s lunchtime match.
Neither big club can afford to lose points anymore.