It was in the minutes following one of the most painful matches in Manchester City's recent history that it was suggested they were suffering the consequences of a seemingly incurable flaw.
"City needs leaders, but Guardiola doesn't want leaders," former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra declared after City had conceded two injury-time goals in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final. The 70 seconds of madness saw the momentum swing in Real Madrid's favour, allowing them to score again in extra-time and knock City out.
"He doesn't want personality. He's the leader. That's why when they're in trouble they don't want to. They don't have anyone on the pitch to help them. He chooses his teams like that, he can't train people with personality."
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Whether there was any sense in Evra's words, or if he was merely playing to the gallery by jumping on the mass City pile-on as Guardiola's players lay crumpled on the Bernabeu turf, is up for debate.
Either way, after such a remarkable and out-of-character collapse on the biggest of stages, there were always going to be questions asked of the leadership qualities of City's players heading into the new season.
Now that club captain Fernandinho has left, along with senior players and 'good guys' Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, those questions are going to be repeated even more loudly than before.
"We don’t have many leaders because players like Vincent [Kompany], David [Silva], Sergio [Aguero] and Fernandinho are gone and they were at the club for so many years," Rodri admitted to reporters on Tuesday ahead of City's pre-season friendly against Club America.
"Now we have to take that role on. Ruben [Dias] has done it. I feel that it can be my role, more on the pitch than outside the pitch. But that is the gap where I can improve."
Kyle Walker was of a similar opinion; players will always leave, so it's up to those who stay to take on responsibility and become leaders.
"We need to step up – it's hard, we’ve lost two big characters but me, Kevin [De Bruyne], Gundogan and Ake, we all have to step up and show the new players our philosophy and the bars we set. We have to maintain that."
Every season City's players vote on who will be part of the team's five-man leadership group, although this campaign they will also be selecting a new club captain.
There is every reason to believe that they will be able to fill the voids left by summer departures.
Ruben Dias has proved himself to be a natural leader during his two seasons at the club, so much so that it took him less than 12 months to be voted into the leadership group. He's a strong contender to become the next captain.
Ilkay Gundogan was the vice-captain last season, so he'll be in the running too, along with De Bruyne. It feels the right time for Rodri to make a step up in that regard too, with Walker, Bernardo Silva and John Stones possibilities as well.
City will have no issues filling those roles, but rightly or wrongly, they will have a point to prove when the going gets tough. Scoring three goals in five minutes to overturn a two-goal deficit on the final day was clear proof of character and leadership, but with some of the protagonists of that day now gone, others will have to step up and silence the doubters once more.
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