Journalist Miguel Delaney says that Manchester City’s victory against Real Madrid on Wednesday has caused widespread worry within the game.
City booked their place in the Champions League final with a 4-0 win against Real Madrid in the second leg of their semi-final tie.
The two sides were evenly matched in the first leg a week before, but at the Etihad Stadium City dominated the Spanish giants like few have done before to progress 5-1 on aggregate.
City’s dominating and ruthless performance has been widely hailed as the best of Pep Guardiola’s tenure at the club, although not everyone was so pleased.
Writing in his newsletter, The Independent’s Delaney revealed that sources within the game are growing concerned with how City are brushing aside all before them.
“As awesome as Manchester City’s victory over Real Madrid was, it hasn’t quite been met with universal adulation within the game – whatever about the media,” Delaney wrote.
“The overriding mood has been obvious respect for Pep Guardiola and his players but also an unease about what this means.
“Many sources have been talking about “the penny dropping” on how hard it is to compete. One prominent source just said it was “difficult to watch”. There is concern.
“There is also residual anger over the Premier League charges, and that wasn’t helped by the story in the Times on Thursday afternoon, mostly with their reported detail that the club have challenged the involvement of Murray Rosen KC in the process over Arsenal links.
“It has run alongside increased questions over when this case will be resolved, but such developments are likely to make it an even longer process. This could be anything up to four years.”
Other top clubs might be concerned by City’s dominance, but it’s fair to say that City fans won’t care one bit.
