Manchester City began the rebranded FIFA Club World Cup as the defending champions, hoping to defend the trophy. The tournament came at a time when the whole Man City players were struggling to replicate the incredible performances that won them multiple trophies in recent years.
They had struggled not only in the league but also in Europe. Therefore, many supporters of the club wanted to know how the once almighty Sky Blue would cope with the intercontinental competition.
As defending champions, Man City did incredibly well in the group stage, winning all the matches, including a 5-2 victory against Juventus. The team scored 13 goals, conceded just 2 in three matches of the group stage.
Unfortunately, they crashed out of the FIFA Club World Cup with a painful 3-4 defeat against the Saudi Arabian club, Al-Hilal. However, despite the defeat, Pep Guardiola will be proud of his player for the following reasons:
The Never-Give-Up Attitude
The match against Al-Hilal was expected to be a one-sided game where the Sky Blues would dominate and come out victorious. It, however, turned out to be arguably the most entertaining match of this edition of the FIFA Club World Cup. The Saudi Arabian club stood against Pep Guardiola’s men even though they were a goal behind within the first 10 minutes.
They not only equalized the goal but also took control of the game by scoring twice in the early minutes of the second half.
At this point, it seemed like another heavy defeat was on the way for Manchester City. Recently, the team always found it difficult to put on a challenge when facing opponents with free-scoring ability.
Months before the FIFA Club World Cup tournament, Manchester City had suffered many disgraceful defeats which including a 5-1 loss against Arsenal. Also, they were beaten 4-0 by Tottenham Hotspur and 4-1 defeat against Sporting CP. In addition, they lost 3-1 against Real Madrid and 4-2 against PSG.
Though defeated against Al-Hilal, the team refused to give up as they came from behind twice during the match. This will be a positive sign to Pep Guardiola. The former Bayern Munich Manager had watched his team suffered without fighting back in recent months.
“We were in such a good place and I cannot say thank you enough to the staff, how they train and prepare, they have given everything,” Pep said after the match, confirming the efforts of the players and his managerial team to bring back the old glorious days.
“I have the feeling that the team is doing well, but we go home and now time to rest and refresh our minds and come back next season,” he added.
Easy Adaptation Of The New Players
Though Manchester City were eliminated from the FIFA Club World Cup earlier than expected, players’ performances were impressive. Ahead of the tournament, some players were added to the team. These include Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders, and Raya Aït-Nouri.
The three players were allowed to show what they’ve gotten at the tournament. And without a doubt, they all did well, which is a positive sign ahead of the 2025/26 season.
Cherki appeared for four matches at the tournament and scored a goal, and also provided one assist. This is not bad for a player who was mostly used as a substitute. His assist came at a time when City needed a movement of magic when they were a goal behind Al-Hilal.
Similarly, Tijjani Reijnders at the FIFA Club World Cup reminded most City fans of the prime ÌIKay Gündogan. The Netherlands international controlled the midfield with ease and linked well with the attackers. Without a doubt, Pep Guardiola might have gotten a replacement for Gündogan, who is fast approaching his retirement.
Another new signing, Rayan Aït-Nouri, was everywhere both in attack and defense on the left side throughout the tournament. His ability to move forward when the need arises will be a joy to watch next season.
The Algerian played 3 matches for his new club at the FIFA Club World Cup, and he did incredibly. He got one assist and much more of this is expected when the season begins.
Undoubtedly, Pep Guardiola will be glad about the performances of his new signings. No one knows if more players will be added to the team during this summer window. Pep has, however, confirmed that some players will leave because he would not work with a large squad. Meanwhile, City may avoid selling players to their local rivals this summer despite rumours linking some players to English teams.