Reflections on the night before:
Hugely disappointing. Not that we got beaten, but the fact that we never ever looked like winning. In truth. I think one nil flattered us. Couldn’t really have complained had it been 3-0.
Not playing Ferna, not playing Sergio (who would have been fired up) were big selection mistakes. That said some players just didn’t get get going, others inc KdB and Stones seemed off the pace from the outset.
In contrast they were all at it from the first minute. We knew from the semi and the league match how quickly they countered and didn’t seem set up to stop that from happening.
Pep has to shoulder a lot of the blame but it’s not all his fault. Over the years, in many one off games City have got over the line. Today seemed like Wigan - something was just not right and evident from minute one. He should have changed things much earlier, way before half time. There was no enforcer on the pitch and our talisman wasted.
After all the effort to get there and the performances on the way, for the campaign to end in such a limp performance is very odd. It’s as though individually and collectively, from players to management they weren’t able to cope with the occasion.
There’s a reason why very few teams win their first CL final.
Hugely disappointing. Not that we got beaten, but the fact that we never ever looked like winning. In truth. I think one nil flattered us. Couldn’t really have complained had it been 3-0.
Not playing Ferna, not playing Sergio (who would have been fired up) were big selection mistakes. That said some players just didn’t get get going, others inc KdB and Stones seemed off the pace from the outset.
In contrast they were all at it from the first minute. We knew from the semi and the league match how quickly they countered and didn’t seem set up to stop that from happening.
Pep has to shoulder a lot of the blame but it’s not all his fault. Over the years, in many one off games City have got over the line. Today seemed like Wigan - something was just not right and evident from minute one. He should have changed things much earlier, way before half time. There was no enforcer on the pitch and our talisman wasted.
After all the effort to get there and the performances on the way, for the campaign to end in such a limp performance is very odd. It’s as though individually and collectively, from players to management they weren’t able to cope with the occasion.
There’s a reason why very few teams win their first CL final.