Fires had to be put out in Manchester on Wednesday evening.
The first happened before kick-off, when a merchandise store caught fire as emergency services rushed to the scene. The blaze was soon put out – but few would have expected Pep Guardiola to have to do something similar.
City saw themselves staring into the abyss at the half-time mark. Club Brugge were a goal to the good and City were on their way out – Guardiola had to deliver the team talk of his life.
Mateo Kovacic was the first man on target before Joel Ordóñez turned the ball into the back of his own net nine minutes later. And City were all of a sudden in the driving seat.
Savinho’s third was the icing on the cake – and Guardiola, for the first time on Wednesday evening, had a smile on his face. City’s Catalan chief had previously been seen being brandished with a yellow card and kicking bottles.
(Image: Getty Images)
City are through, just.
The 2023 Champions of Europe finished 22nd out of 24 teams that qualify – but that won’t matter to Guardiola, he’s through. City will have two more games, however, than the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal as they must win a play-off to progress to the Round of 16.
However, that game will come against Bayern Munich or Real Madrid. And a win there will see them face either Bayer Leverkusen or Atletico Madrid.
(Image: Offside via Getty Images)
Don’t miss a thing with football updates!
Want to be on the ball with all of the latest football news? Well then sign up for the brilliant Daily Star Football email newsletter!
From the latest transfer news to breaking stories, get it all in your email inbox.
How do you sign up?
It only takes a matter of seconds.
Simply click on this link, then provide your email address and that’s it, job done. You’ll receive an email with all of the top football stories.
You can also sign up for our sport email, Off the Ball, for all the latest darts, boxing, snooker, F1 stories and more, right here
It hasn’t been vintage City this season, far from it.
Guardiola’s side have looked a shell of the team that would strike fear across Europe while seldom dropping points as soon as the calendar turned to January.
However, City have blown leads this season – from the second City took the leads that never really looked like happening. Guardiola’s band of million-pound warriors have looked poor.
But there’s a sense they’re starting to find their groove.