Pep Guardiola may hold the burden of trying to remotivate his players after more Champions League heartbreak, but the Manchester City leadership group must also take on added responsibility ahead of the final four games of the season.
Upon his arrival at the Etihad Stadium in 2016, one of the first things the Catalan did was establish a leadership group. Instead of having just one club captain, the idea of having a core group of leaders allows big decisions to be made amongst the squad a lot easier.
Vincent Kompany and then David Silva took on the role of permanent captain before their respective departures, with Fernandinho taking on the mantle since then. Alongside the Brazilian, a host of key City players have formed this esteemed group.
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Last season, Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Kyle Walker and Raheem Sterling were that particular quartet. But, after his incredible debut season, Ruben Dias was instantly voted into the leadership fold.
It’s unknown whether that was at the expense of an existing member or if his name was simply added to the list, but the next four games present them with perhaps their toughest test yet. City suffered more Champions League heartache on Wednesday night, with Rodrygo coming off the bench to score a rapid brace to force the semi-final tie into extra time – with a Karim Benzema penalty sending the 13-time winners through to the showpiece event.
After dominating the match-up for virtually 180 minutes, the defeat will be a tough one for the City players and staff to take. But they need to pick themselves up with a Premier League title still on the line.
The Blues welcome Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday knowing only four wins stand in the way of a fourth domestic title in five seasons. To make matters worse, Liverpool could ramp up the pressure on City with a victory against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday night.
Guardiola has a big job to remotivate his players after such a gruelling evening in Madrid, but this is a point where the leadership group need to prove their worth. The players on that privileged list must be galvanising their teammates in training and reminding them that the biggest prize in England is still on offer – and no slip-ups are allowed.
Any dropped points at this stage of the season – especially given the form Liverpool are in – would prove fatal, so the players must refocus their minds solely on Newcastle, Wolves, West Ham and Aston Villa.
This City team has performed to such a high level this season that they deserve a trophy to recognise their efforts. Guardiola’s relentless pursuit of perfection has managed to get City – without a recognised striker – close in virtually every competition. The onus is now on the players to pick themselves up and drag themselves over the line.
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