Flawed City battered by better, faster, stronger PSG

Now Manchester City are found on the wrong side of the dotted line.

- RICHARD JOLLY

With a game to go, they have sunk to their lowest point. Crowned officially the best team in Europe 19 months ago, the standings say they are now only the 25th finest in this competition. Pep Guardiola believes a table with a surreal look tells a truth. “Of course,” he said. “It’s the points we had.”

City were not merely beaten by Paris Saint-Germain. They were battered, their flaws highlighted by the team that had lookedlike the Champions League’s greatest underachievers. City were overpowered, overrun, and overcome. Collapsing, and capitulating, they met their match in Paris. “They were better,” said Guardiola. “They were quicker, faster, they win the duels with the ball.”

With a home game against Club Brugge, City can still salvage a play-off place. “If not, we don’t deserve it,” added Guardiola. Even if his side do prevail, if the continent’s finest used to be scared at the prospect of playing them in knockout ties, now they could be salivating. “In the big stages, the big teams, we struggle,” Guardiola admitted. “We have to accept it.”