Manchester City: Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique went blow for blow

It was the match within the match. On the occasion of this PSG-Manchester City, the two Spanish coaches Luis Enrique and Pep Guardiola faced each other. Two coaches whose style is similar, whose character is also similar or almost. And whose choices are often talked about. Obviously, the two men did not change their style this Wednesday evening. It started with the composition of the two teams. Luis Enrique surprised everyone by aligning Kang-in Lee rather than Dembélé on the bench. For his part, Pep Guardiola decided to do without Gündogan in the heart of the game to instead place Bernardo Silva alongside Kovacic and thus allow Savinho to start on the left lane while Matheus Nunes was… right back.

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Strong tactical choices!

Surprising choices which clearly did not bear fruit since at half-time, the two teams were left with a very unexciting 0-0 draw. So as a symbol, the two coaches tried to surprise each other by making changes during the break. Rico Lewis and Jack Grealish entered the City side while Dembélé came to replace Kang-in Lee for Paris. In the meantime, Luis Enrique and Pep Guardiola had also adapted the same strategy on their bench, nervousness. Both men raised their hands to the sky countless times during this match. They didn't try to hide their discontent and openly complained about every bad move or bad choice.

And in this match within the match, we thought that Pep Guardiola had knocked out his compatriot since Grealish, entering, scored only 5 minutes after coming into play. Then, this same Grealish was decisive on the break goal signed by Haaland. But PSG did not give up, far from it and Ousmane Dembélé, also entering, reduced the gap before Barcola equalized in the process. A choice by Luis Enrique rewarded even if we note his desire to maintain the double change Ramos – Warren Zaire-Emery which broke the Parisian dynamic a little.

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Luis Enrique had targeted the midfielder

But after that, PSG ended up blowing up an overwhelmed City team that suffered under Parisian law. “My team has a lot going for it. She has faith and she never gives up, this has been demonstrated on numerous occasions. This match will strengthen my players. They don't have much experience in these kinds of matches, but they have shown that they are capable of being competitive. After the first half, with such a high pace, I thought we were going to maintain this pace, and the words were to dare a little more. I wanted my players to let loose. And we conceded these 2 goals. But the team continued to believe, to have faith, to insist. The first goal with this action from Barcola was key, it opened a new scenario. From there, we were very superior to City”analyzed Luis Enrique at a press conference.

For his part, Pep Guardiola, who could only bow to Parisian superiority, targeted what made the difference in this match. “I say it again: they were better. I told the players in the locker room. We have to move on. To defend, you have to play and we didn't do that. I give a lot of credit to PSG, because they stopped us from doing it. We didn't manage to keep the ball and to defend, you have to have the ball. They were one more than us in the middle. They were more aggressive, with better pressing. They are faster, so we had to defend by having the ball and that's impossible if you don't play like that… They had more players in midfield and that's often where you win matches. We couldn't manage that. With their false 9, they managed to have an additional player in this position (…). They won today, but they have played matches like this before. I've seen it before. We couldn't be better today. I would like to say otherwise, but that’s how it is.” Pep Guardiola never knew how to correct the problem of superiority in the middle despite his change at the end of the match with the entries of Stones and Gundogan.

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This was also felt in ball possession since at the final whistle, City only had 36.9% possession. The lowest total for a Guardiola team since… City-Barcelona in 2017. At that time, Luis Enrique was Barça coach. Friends in life, the two coaches fought a great battle which turned to PSG's advantage. “I found it difficult to celebrate the goals because I had a friend next to me who was suffering. Football gives you joy and sadness, it's like life. You have to face it”confided Luis Enrique at the microphone of Movistar after the meeting. The class which well illustrates the relationship between the two men. But this time, it's Luis Enrique who has the smile. To the delight of Parisian supporters.