Pep Guardiola always knew it was too early to say the real Manchester City was back.
Sure, his team ended its unthinkable run of one win in 13 games by beating Leicester and West Ham unconvincingly in the Premier League. Then City smashed a combined 14 goals past Ipswich and fourth-tier Salford in a signal, to some, that the aura had returned.
Not to Guardiola. He could see his injury-ravaged defense was brittle, his aging midfield was easy to play through in midfield, and that the team was still badly missing its fulcrum — Rodri, the Ballon d’Or winner.
A trip to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League exposed all those weaknesses, and more.
City might be back in crisis after a 4-2 loss at PSG that Guardiola was powerless to stop on a rainy night the French capital.
“We could not cope,” he said.
Things could be about to get much, much worse.
Either side of a match against Club Brugge that City must win to avoid elimination from the Champions League, the beleaguered English champion has an extremely tough Premier League schedule: Chelsea on Saturday, then Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool, Tottenham and Nottingham Forest in a row.
That’s the other teams in the league’s top six — City is in fifth place — plus a bogey team in Tottenham.
That takes City to the start of March, by which time the club’s reputation may also be in tatters off the field, too.
Yes, City has gone on a spending spree in hope that can ignite the season, with Egypt forward Omar Marmoush arriving from Eintracht Frankfurt and young defenders Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis joining from Lens and Palmeiras, respectively. City was planning to freshen up the squad in the summer but brought forward those signings to January, partly because of injuries and partly because of the team’s desperate state. What Guardiola really needs, however, is a new midfield.
Rodri’s season-long absence because of a torn ACL has exposed City’s poor midfield recruitment over the last two years and left Guardiola with a set of players who are technically gifted but lack dynamism, pace and power.
Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva are all in their 30s and on the decline. Their inability to track midfield runners and cover ground as a unit is leaving City’s defense open to transitions. In that sense, for all of its world-class forwards, City might be one of the easiest teams to attack at the moment.
Gundogan returned for a second spell in the summer but that might go down as a mistake. Kovacic and Matheus Nunes joined in the summer of 2023 but that looks poor business now. Nunes isn’t even being trusted to play in midfield, with Guardiola deploying him as an emergency right back of late.
Maybe, but it appears more likely there will be outgoings.
One almost sure to leave is Kyle Walker, City’s long-serving right back who told Guardiola at the start of January he wants to explore a move abroad. Walker is reportedly set to join AC Milan in Italy.
Walker was captain last season and has been a mainstay in City’s defense since 2017, his speed and recovery abilities key to the way Guardiola sets up the team. But his form has dramatically dipped amid off-field issues and he is 34. City hasn’t been linked to any midfielders ahead of the Feb. 3 transfer deadline, which will be a concern to fans.
City's ambitions of winning the Premier League have virtually gone and now it's all about securing a place in the top four — or more likely top five this season — to qualify for next season's Champions League.
City is fifth but vulnerable, with sixth-placed Newcastle on the same number of points and Bournemouth — one of the form teams in the league — only a point back in seventh.
City couldn't have a harder run of games in the league, though at least three of the next four — Chelsea, Newcastle and Liverpool — are at home.
Away from the field, City is awaiting the verdict of its seismic legal case with Premier League, which has accused its champion of the past four seasons of more than 100 financial breaches, including providing misleading information about its sources of income.
Punishment could be as extreme as expulsion from the league and the potentially explosive announcement could come anytime over the next few weeks following the conclusion of a private hearing. City has always denied the charges.
Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola, left right, talks with his player Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol during the English Premier League soccer match between Brentford and Manchester City at the Gtech Community stadium, in London, England, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola ahead the English FA Cup soccer match between Manchester City and Salford City at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/ Dave Thompson)
Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola reacts during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Real Madrid’s Galacticos just don’t know when they are beaten. Manchester City just keep on making the same mistakes.
Jude Bellingham’s stoppage-time goal sealed a stunning comeback for Madrid and a 3-2 lead in its Champions League playoff against City.
In six frantic minutes at the end of a breathless first leg Tuesday, the Spanish giant scored twice to take a precious advantage into next week’s match at the Bernabeu.
City led 2-1 after 80 minutes at the Etihad Stadium through goals in each half from Erling Haaland. But Brahim Diaz and then Bellingham silenced the home crowd and extend a sorry record for City that has seen it concede seven goals in the last 15 minutes of Champions League games this season.
“We need to see games out better, that's for sure," City defender John Stones said. “We have to stay positive, which is difficult right now.”
Bellingham slid in to convert Vinicius Junior’s lobbed pass in the second minute of added time to bring back memories of Madrid’s dramatic comeback against City in the semifinal in 2022. Then it was Rodrygo who scored twice from the 90th and Madrid eventually sent Pep Guardiola's team crashing out in extra time.
At least City has a chance to salvage the tie in the second leg, but the sense of deflation was clear after such a late collapse.
“It’s not the first time, unfortunately, it happened many times and that's why it's difficult,” Guardiola said. "I’ve been here for many years and we have been an extraordinary team.
“But in the moment I’m not able... I’m not good enough, you know, to give something to (give) composure to the team, to (know) how to manage the situations.”
It was another thrilling, white knuckle-ride of a game between these two giants of European soccer and a one-goal advantage for Madrid means there is still all to play for.
Defeat ended City’s 35-game unbeaten run at home in the Champions League, dating back to 2018.
City led through Haaland’s goal in the 19th.
By that stage, Madrid had seen a penalty overturned for offside and a Ferland Mendy goalbound effort blocked by Manuel Akanji.
Vinicius Junior then hit the bar with a curling shot and Akanji also clipped the frame of the goal with a header.
Haaland hit the bar again less than a minute into the second half.
Madrid’s equalized on the hour through a freakish goal from Mbappe when his miskicked volley wrongfooted Ederson and looped softly over the line.
Mbappe hit the post with another chance before Ceballos brought Phil Foden down just inside the box and Haaland’s penalty restored City’s lead.
On came former City academy player Diaz, who left City for Madrid in 2019 and he leveled the game again before Bellingham's winner.
Paris Saint-Germain took a big step toward the round of 16 by beating Brest 3-0 and Juventus won 2-1 against PSV Eindhoven. Borussia Dortmund also looks on course for the next round after a 3-0 win at Sporting Lisbon.
Ousmane Dembélé struck twice for PSG to extend his scoring streak to 10 games in a row.
His outstanding form as has seen him score 18 goals during that run.
It was his shot that led to PSG taking the lead through a 21st-minute penalty after Pierre Lees-Melou handled in the area. Vitinha converted the spot kick.
Dembélé scored his first in the 45th when he broke free down the right and curled a shot inside the post. His second came in the 66th when he pounced on a loose ball and burst into the penalty area to score his 23rd goal of the season.
Having made hard work of the new-look league phase of the tournament, it would take a major upset in the second leg in Paris to deny PSG a place in the next round.
Substitute Samuel Mbangula grabbed a late winner for Juventus and in doing so claimed his first Champions League goal.
The 21-year-old Belgian forward reacted quickly when goalkeeper Walter Benitez spilled a low cross from the right by Francisco Conceição in the 82nd.
Juventus took the lead late in the first half from Weston McKennie’s powerful strike into the top corner from just inside the penalty area.
Veteran midfielder Ivan Perisic calmed the home fans with a fine finish in the 56th.
Serhou Guirassy scored his 10th Champions League goal of the season as last year’s runner-up Borussia Dortmund beat Sporting Lisbon 3-0.
Guirassy scored one goal and set up another for Pascal Gross as Dortmund scored twice in the space of eight minutes, both goals coming from crosses.
Karim Adeyemi finished off a rapid counterattack to score Dortmund’s third in the 82nd as Sporting tried to get back into the game and left space at the back.
Sporting hasn’t won in five Champions League games since coach Ruben Amorim left for Manchester United in November. It was the first Champions League game for new Dortmund coach Niko Kovac.
James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe scores his sides first goal during the Champions League playoff first leg soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Manchester City's Erling Haaland, left, celebrates with Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol after scoring his sides first goal during the Champions League playoff first leg soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, left, runs to celebrate after socring his sides first goal during the Champions League playoff first leg soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe scores his sides first goal during the Champions League playoff first leg soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe scores his sides first goal during the Champions League playoff first leg soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the Champions League playoff first leg soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Manchester City's Erling Haaland, left, celebrates with Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol after scoring his sides first goal during the Champions League playoff first leg soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, left, celebrates with Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham after socring his sides first goal during the Champions League playoff first leg soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
England manager Thomas Tuchel talks to Rafael Benitez before the start of the Champions League playoff first leg soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Real Madrid pose for a team group before the Champions League playoff first leg soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Darren Staples)
Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti, right, talks to Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola before the start of the Champions League playoff first leg soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti, left and Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola share a laugh before the Champions League playoff first leg soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Darren Staples)
Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti attends a press conference in Manchester, England, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, ahead of the Champions League soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola gestures during a press conference at the City Football Academy, Manchester, England, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)