Manchester City 2: 2 in Lyon: What is the strength of Pep Guardiola's team?



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After the final whistle, a strange atmosphere reigned around the well-lit Lyon stadium. The fans of the hosts were more attentive to their cars. They found the result – a 2-2 draw that allows the English to live better than the French – rather unfair. Where his team was much better, at least in the first round, and still two weeks against Donezk in the final of the round of 16.

The more than 2,500 invited guests, mostly older semesters, who had already applauded Man City in times far worse than today, were also deliberate. Some, because they drank a few pints in the afternoons in the pubs of the third largest city in France. Others wondered how a team could match its favorite status as little as Manchester City did during this 2-2 draw. And yet, he is the first brilliant of group F, where everyone was waiting for him: in the second round.

As a reminder, Lyon had already in the team, who has never lost a match after and in the league 42: 3 goals scored, taught a 1: 2 home loss. The city, Josep Guardiola, did not care about that Tuesday: "We did it because we showed character and we were strong in the end." It may be true. But many fans of Citizens should have wondered if the level that shows their team in the league, at the highest international level for the highest ranges. Maybe for the title, because it should be this season.

Both times Lyon has been better

However, since Tuesday, OL fans have two ways to rank both matches. Either they now consider their team as an absolutely absolute European team, despite the 15 points that Lyon has in the league as second in the table already behind Paris St. Germain. Or, they conclude that Manchester City has had only 180 bad minutes this season. And of course, twice 90 against his own team.

There were of course extenuating circumstances for the citizens, who are at least on the island as a measure of all things. For example, they had to give up some of their stars: Ilkay Gündogan, Kevin Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Benjamin Mendy and Gabriel Jesus were injured. Leroy Sané, meanwhile, started in the storm with three alongside Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling. But neither he, who became stronger in the second round, did the rest of the offensive.

Or is this judgment just an error of judgment about what constitutes a high-level team? Namely, the ability to be well awake at least in the crucial offensive moments during less good days? In any case, Manchester twice equaled the Lyon leaders in a few minutes. Aymeric Laporte scored seven minutes after Lyon's first goal, while Silva led the ball to the far post after a free-kick by Sterling, who had to stay up. The 2-2 lead Aguero, two minutes after the French have submitted again.

Olympic pardoned the best opportunities

Good coaches give their teams tools they can use when it's not so inspiring. Standard variants are excellent tools. About a third goal is scored after a sleeping ball. And yet: we could already wonder what was happening Tuesday with this leading team, who could have easily come back after 45 minutes 0: 3. But Memphis Depay and the scorer of subsequent doubles Maxwell Cornet (55./81.) suffered the same problem: Completely released from the door, they fell on models of ideal doors. It was even more difficult to take the side marker, which Cornet put on the crossbar (43.).

So in the first round, only Lyon played – and with a speed that seemed to overwhelm the Englishman. At half-time, all French attacks by tactical fouls were avoided, no personal attacks took place. And after the break, everything has not improved, except the fortuitous exploitation that was the big disadvantage of Lyon.

However, Olympique Rafael's defender could still be understood when he said it was "crazy to take four points against Manchester and not be qualified." Because Lyon has a very good team together. And because City had two of its weakest appearances this season against Lyon.

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