It was less than four months ago that Pep Guardiola was asked what he valued most in his Manchester City players. At the time, City had won nine of their first 12 matches of the season in all competitions while remaining unbeaten. They looked very much capable of winning a fifth-consecutive Premier League title and had snatched results against Wolves and Arsenal with late goals. The coach’s response is worth re-visiting after City took a 2-1 lead against Real Madrid with 10 minutes remaining at the Etihad Stadium and turned it into a 3-2 defeat.
“They have an incredible mentality,” Guardiola said at the time. “Most of them are so strong, so competitive. There’s a tendency to relax, I always have this concern when we win again. What is it going to happen? A drop after you win. But I don’t see it. I don’t see it winning or losing, performing well or bad. I don’t see this factor of dropping. Everyone pushes each other. They push me and push my staff with ideas, with new things. If I don’t like it, they accept it well because it’s for the team. They forget immediately, win or lose. They’re on to the next, what’s next? They’re true competitors.”
How far away that statement feels right now. Because if there is one thing that sums up Manchester City at the moment, it is their mental fragility.