Chapter 457: Manchester City Becomes Europe's Number One Enemy

Chapter 457: Manchester City Becomes Europe's Number One Enemy

The dominance of La Liga isn't a new development. While Barcelona carried the torch for a while, the resurgence of Real Madrid and the rise of Atlético Madrid have bolstered La Liga's strength, giving it three teams capable of reaching the Champions League semi-finals. However, having semi-final caliber teams isn't enough to clinch the ultimate prize. Since the 2010-2011 season, La Liga hasn't won a Champions League title in five years, during which the Premier League has claimed three. In terms of sheer numbers, the Premier League appears more successful.

Despite the decline of traditional Premier League powerhouses, Manchester City's strength more than compensates. Over the past two years, all three La Liga giants have fallen to Manchester City, with Barcelona suffering defeat twice. This has left La Liga fans feeling despondent; City seems unbeatable.

Premier League fans envy the stellar European performances of La Liga's big three, while La Liga fans yearn for Manchester City's dominant position. Even executives from top La Liga clubs have felt the impact of City's success. Traditionally, English teams were known for their physicality rather than technical finesse. However, with the influx of high-caliber coaches and players, some English teams have matched or even surpassed the technical prowess of La Liga.

Manchester City, for instance, embraces a technical style that was once unique to Arsenal under Wenger. City's success has prompted other Premier League teams to adopt and adapt this approach. As a result, English teams are evolving to combine physicality with technical skill, making them even tougher opponents.

What concerns La Liga the most is the potential shift in fan preferences. Fans who previously dismissed the Premier League for its lack of technical sophistication might now be swayed by its evolving style. This trend is already visible, with increasing viewership for Arsenal and Manchester City games, especially internationally. Many of these new Premier League viewers were once fans of La Liga, which could impact La Liga's broadcast revenues.

Broadcast revenue is crucial for clubs, and the Premier League excels in commercial promotion, distributing significant income among its clubs. If the Premier League starts to attract more fans and broadcasters, its growth could be unstoppable, possibly leaving other leagues behind, as seen with Serie A in recent years.

To counter this, La Liga clubs need to break Manchester City's hold on the Champions League. It's not just about pride but also the financial survival of the league. As a result, top clubs from La Liga, and even Bayern Munich from the Bundesliga, have reached an unspoken agreement: whoever faces Manchester City will fight tooth and nail, aiming to drain City's resources and, if possible, eliminate them. This year, any team can win the Champions League—except Manchester City.

Manchester City might be unaware of the European coalition forming against them, but they are acutely aware of the domestic "anti-City" alliance in the Premier League. Teams now face City with heightened intensity, aiming to topple them from their perch.

In Premier League Round 16, City hosted Swansea City, who were languishing in 15th place. On paper, it seemed like an easy win for the league leaders. However, the match proved to be tough. Swansea's defense was tenacious, with their players making aggressive, often borderline tackles.

In the 33rd minute, David Silva was fouled and had to be substituted due to injury. In the 65th minute, substitute defender Bacary Sagna was also stretchered off following a nasty challenge. Guardiola quickly realized that Swansea wasn't just playing to win—they were playing to injure.

The Etihad Stadium erupted in boos, expressing their discontent with Swansea's tactics and the referee's leniency. Despite the rough play, City managed a 2-0 victory. However, losing two players to injury made the victory feel costly.

In another key match, Leicester City defeated Chelsea 2-1 at home, maintaining their six-point gap with Manchester City. While the gap remains significant, Leicester's win against a top team kept their title hopes alive and fueled the narrative of a potential upset.

"Have you noticed?" one fan commented. "Other teams either park the bus against City, hoping for a draw, or use rough tactics to injure them. Even if they can't win, they try to take a piece out of City." "This started last year and has become even more common this season. Nine out of ten City matches now involve breaking down an opponent's ironclad defense." "There's a growing sentiment that no one wants to see City win the title, so everyone's making life hard for them." "Being the top dog naturally attracts envy and resentment, especially since City is close to a third consecutive title. Many teams don't want to see that happen." "On top of that, many players see matches against City as their chance to prove themselves and attract attention from bigger clubs."

Mid- and lower-tier teams have smaller fan bases and fewer viewers, gaining more attention only when facing top teams. For their players, each match against a powerhouse is an opportunity to showcase their talents and possibly secure a move to a bigger club.

Manchester City, aware of the intensified resistance they face domestically and potentially in Europe, must navigate these challenges to maintain their dominance and pursue further success in the Champions League.

For young players, who doesn't dream of joining a top club? Performing well might even catch the eye of Manchester City's coach, Pep Guardiola, and lead to a transfer to City.

Leicester City doesn't face these issues. Everyone knows they're a modest team. Despite currently being second in the Premier League, no one knows how long their surprising run will last. Other teams don't particularly target Leicester City; most teams play them normally without resorting to extreme defensive tactics.

Manchester City, however, faces a different story. Every match is a battle. With constant wear and tear, they might be plagued by injuries and a drop in form by the time the hectic Christmas schedule hits. Both the club and Guardiola are aware of this problem. To combat it, the club is investing heavily in its medical team, hiring top experts from around the world to keep players healthy. They have also allocated over 100 million euros for Guardiola to strengthen the squad during the winter break.

Sergio Agüero has been injured multiple times this season, significantly affecting City's performance. Buying a strong forward is essential during the winter transfer window. With David Silva injured, they also need reinforcements for the winger and attacking midfielder positions. Toni Kroos needs a suitable backup in the defensive midfield. Veteran defender Martín Demichelis has seen his playing time drastically reduced this season and might retire next season, so the defense also needs reinforcement. Full-backs are another headache for Guardiola; his tactics require highly capable full-backs, but there aren't many available that meet his standards. Fortunately, City's youth reserves include some promising young full-backs who might fill these roles in the future.

Another player Guardiola is considering a backup for is Lin Quan. "Lin, do you think the team should get you a backup?" Guardiola asked. Rather than speculating, he thought it best to ask his son directly.

"A backup for me? That's not easy to find," Lin Quan replied, curious. His versatile playing style made finding a suitable backup challenging.

"It's hard, yes. I'm mainly thinking of getting a right winger," Guardiola admitted. Finding a player like Lin or Messi is nearly impossible, so he set his sights on someone with good foot skills, dribbling, high football IQ, and speed. Such players are more common, and 40 million euros might suffice to buy a good one.

"I know someone who fits your criteria. Are you interested?" Lin Quan suggested.

"Tell me more," Guardiola encouraged, trusting Lin Quan's judgment, which had led to valuable signings like N'Golo Kanté.

"An Egyptian player who briefly played for Chelsea, named Mohamed Salah," Lin Quan said. Salah, known for his Messi-like playing style, had exceptional skills and speed. During his peak, Salah's value reached 150 million euros, making him a top-tier player. Last year, Lin Quan had recommended Salah to Pellegrini, but Chelsea refused to sell him to City. Now, with Mourinho gone and Chelsea struggling, Salah, who didn't shine at Chelsea, might be more accessible. If City acted quickly before Salah's potential breakout at Roma, they could secure him.

Guardiola took note of Salah and immediately arranged for scouts to assess his performance at Roma and gather detailed reports. With less than half a month before the winter transfer window, time was of the essence.

While City prepared for significant moves in the transfer market, Liverpool was also gearing up. Recognizing their current squad's inadequacy to compete with top teams like City, Liverpool's owner John Henry gave Klopp a substantial budget to strengthen the team during the winter break, aiming for a Champions League spot next season. While winning the league seemed unlikely, securing a Champions League berth was crucial, especially with Chelsea's decline leaving a vacancy in the top spots. Qualifying for the Champions League would not only improve Liverpool's finances but also attract top players, many of whom prefer teams playing in the Champions League.

(End of Chapter)

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