John Stones had the Manchester City armband on at Wembley on Saturday. Maybe, though, it was City’s previous trip to the national stadium that illustrated that his decade at the Etihad Stadium was ending. Pep Guardiola was already without the ineligible Marc Guehi and the injured Josko Gvardiol for the Carabao Cup final. Then Ruben Dias was ruled out with a hamstring problem.
And minus three centre-backs, Stones’ status as the sixth-choice was confirmed when Nathan Ake instead partnered Abdukodir Khusanov. It amounted to a difference to a final three years earlier. Then Stones completed the most dribbles in a Champions League showpiece since Lionel Messi, running past an opponent from Inter Milan six times. Devastatingly good in 2023, Stones is departing in 2026, leaving when his contract expires this summer.
