Guardiola’s evolving City show swagger in US revival

THE main appeal of the Fifa Club World Cup so far has been the chance to see South American and African clubs ~ and their fans - offer a reminder that football thrives outside of Europe, too.

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But as the tournament moves towards the business end, Fifa’s new competition is also providing an opportunity to watch one of the game's greatest coaches in the midst of rebuilding and recreating his dynasty.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City have won six of the last eight Premier League titles, along with a host of cups including the 2023 Champions League.

But last year they looked like an empire in decline, finishing 13 points behind Liverpool, with performances even less inspiring than the results they generated.

At times, it felt like the end of the Guardiola era. Yet the Spaniard has set about rebuilding his team, and the 5-2 demolition of Juventus on Thursday indicated that the process is moving along swiftly and successfully.

“I’m really pleased because the most important thing is the players have to realise what we have to do to get back to what we were the last decade,” said Guardiola.