IIt takes a lot to earn the right to make seven changes in the knockout stages of the Champions League, but City and Guardiola’s record allows for such a turnaround after a brutal derby win. Leading 3-1 in the first leg also helped.
For a team that is currently unbeaten in 30 Champions League home games, bringing in seven complete internationals is naturally a useful option. Guardiola may claim that Sunday’s game against Liverpool is not his top priority, but overhauling his squad against Copenhagen suggests this month’s results could determine how many trophies he celebrates in June. When United were dominating at home and abroad, John O’Shea would always start those ordinary games because he knew how to get the job done.
Guardiola is keen to work with a small team where everyone knows their job and everyone needs to justify their hiring. Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunez have spent more than half a season at their new clubs and have known nothing but success along the way. Threatening to expel their more mature colleagues. Rico Lewis and Oscar Bobb are limited to cameos, although that’s not surprising given their youth. The backbone of Ederson, Ruben Dias, Rodri and Erling Haaland provided the structure to ensure City took the lead at half-time, setting the stage for Sergio Gomez, Mika Hamilton and Jacob Wright provided playing time.
For some, it’s a chance to prove they can be relied upon in an intense run-in, especially given Guardiola admitted he needed an injection of energy against Copenhagen as his side tired .
Lewis helped secure the opening goal from a corner kick, with the teenager forcing a touch on the ball by forcing a defender down the flank who looked to have taken the ball away for a goal kick. Lewis has been receiving more viewing briefs recently and he has something to prove. The legs will get tired in the final stages and having someone with his energy will be a huge positive for Guardiola. Copenhagen played on the break, keeping City constantly alert for threats. Despite the progress, Lewis blocked Magnus Matheson’s shot in the dying moments and hit the crossbar with a shot in stoppage time.
Julián Alvarez is a rarity for Guardiola, an outfield player guaranteed to start. The City boss named the World Cup winner in his squad for the first 25 Premier League games of the season but has dropped him on the bench for the past three games. Guardiola knows his worth and the Argentinian proved that by whipping in a corner kick that Manuel Akanji volleyed home, and his next set-piece almost did the same, only for Rodri’s header Hit the crossbar. Alvarez needn’t have worried, as he himself hissed in the second.
Alvarez started on the left, giving Bobb the opportunity to show his ability as a No. 10 behind compatriot Haaland. The 20-year-old showed off his quick feet, repeatedly trying to weave between defenders to create a threat. Bobb was at fault in Copenhagen’s goal, however, providing a mispass as he tried to find Haaland, allowing Denmark to quickly counterattack. This is a hard lesson for Bobb to learn, as there are few classes more difficult than the Champions League.
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Nunes was brought in to add a runner in midfield who could get past the forwards and into the penalty area after Gundogan left. This is a huge step forward for Wolves to become Premier League and European champions. When others are clearly in need of a break, Nunez’s constant movement to put pressure on opponents and drag City up the pitch will be crucial, regardless of the adrenaline levels in the system after a win over a tough opponent. He performed well in the recent league game against Burnley and caused similar problems for Copenhagen before coming off with a finger injury.
No one doubted that City would cross the line against Copenhagen, but achieving it with relative ease pleased Guardiola, ensuring Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Bernardo Schier Watt doesn’t need to be on the bench. There were a few mistakes along the way, but it’s all part of the process and the system worked perfectly for City’s unsung heroes.
