When Manchester City exited the Champions League last season in appalling conditions against Tottenham Hotspur, the players and manager could at least look up to the skies and curse the gods of football after doing everything in their power to keep going.
This time, they are only to blame.
The frustration after the 3-1 defeat to Lyon on Saturday was such that some fans, who might change their minds in the cold light of day, shouted at Pep Guardiola’s head.
Those are certainly several steps too far, but with each passing year, the Catalan has more and more questions to answer about his Champions League record. And that remains the case, despite his two strikers lacking chances that would have sent City to the semi-finals, despite the team’s selection.
The pain developed over three hours slowly, from anxiety to restlessness to anger. The suspicions about the launch of Guardiola’s XI, the first 45 …
.
