There was no case of over-thinking from Pep Guardiola on this occasion.
At this stage of the Champions League, at least at Manchester City, Guardiola has been guilty of unnecessarily changing his tactics and formation, with dire consequences. Having dispatched Real Madrid at the last 16 stage in 2020, Guardiola inexplicably decided to go with a back-three in the one-off quarter-final tie against Lyon, with City losing 3-1.
And in last year's final against Chelsea, Guardiola was too clever for his own good again, playing without a holding midfielder, a decision that backfired as City were beaten 1-0. There have been other baffling aberrations from a coach with such a formidable tactical nous and intellect, but this time Guardiola kept it simple, with no unnecessary tweaks.
