A stunned Etihad crowd witnessed a rare woeful performance from the usually flawless Manchester City on Wednesday evening.
The Sky Blues opened their European campaign with defeat at home to French outfits Lyon, and were worryingly outclassed for large periods of the first half by a club who haven’t clinched the Ligue 1 title since 2008.
Many have put the defeat down to the Pep Guardiola-shaped hole on the sidelines, as he served his one-match ban after fiery scenes in City’s loss to Liverpool in last year’s edition of the competition.
Still, the Spaniard was present in the stands in casual clothing, and for much of the match he cut an understandably pensive figure; consoling the tearful children around him at full time as the dire result was brought into sharp focus.
It was a night Manchester City would have far from expected, despite recent problems on the European stage. Lyon are hardly the most potent threat in Europe, and already a trip to Hoffenheim looks a must-win.
City must focus on the Premier League, though, where dominance has been at its typical peak. A mauling of hapless Fulham last Saturday – in a game where the 3-0 scoreline flattered the Cottagers – maintained a pristine unbeaten record.
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And if Manchester City are to continue their rich vein of early-season Premier League form, they cannot allow their Champions League hiccup to seep into their display. City take on another promoted club in Cardiff, and there is an aura of pressure.
Neil Warnock’s men have proven tough to beat for some teams so far; they took Arsenal to the wire before eventually losing and have ground out goalless draws against Huddersfield and Newcastle.
The Bluebirds possess scant attacking vibrancy, and shouldn’t pose too much of a threat to Manchester City. However, City’s problematic week might provide confidence for the struggling Welsh side, and a slow start from the Sky Blues could be damaging.
Optimism from Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling on Wednesday suggests City can dispatch of Cardiff with consummate ease, and the re-emergence of Pep Guardiola onto the touchline will be a much-needed boost.
Sergio Aguero’s contract extension should also create a buoyant atmosphere ahead of kick off, and could go lengths in aiding the European nightmare to dissipate.
Can Manchester City get back to winning ways in the Welsh capital?