Pep Guardiola must now ensure Manchester City’s agonising Champions League exit does not derail their pursuit of the Premier League title.
Only once in his glittering managerial career has Guardiola ended a season empty-handed - his debut campaign at City - before he began to amass trophies with ruthless efficiency. Given the seismic emotional and mental toll Wednesday’s defeat to Real Madrid is likely to take on him and his players, there is now the very real possibility of that happening again this season.
That would be an unthinkable prospect for City, who at one stage held a 14-point lead over Liverpool and, until three weeks ago, retained hopes of a Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup Treble. Now they have just one shot left at silverware, although the momentum in the title race is surely now with Liverpool, who remain on course for an unprecedented Quadruple and who face City’s conquerors Real in the Champions League final in Paris on May 28.
