Ronaldo Alves e Henriquez podem ficar à disposição para jogo do Sport com Botafogo

Os dois zagueiros se recuperam de problemas musculares. Então titular, Ronaldo Alves está há cinco jogos ausentes do time do Sport

Diante da maratona de jogos decisivos pela qual o Sport vem passando nos últimos dias, o técnico Ney Franco pode ganhar dois reforços para a partida desta quarta-feira, contra o Botafogo, pela ida das oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil. Na reapresentação do elenco nesta segunda-feira, os zagueiros Ronaldo Alves e Henriquez, que se recuperam de problemas musculares, participaram de mais uma etapa da transição com o departamento físico. Com isso, de acordo com o diretor médico do clube, Cléber Maciel, ambos serão reavaliados após os trabalhos desta terça-feira e, caso não se queixem de dores, poderão integrar a delegação leonina para a partida no Rio de Janeiro.

os dois, quem está há mais tempo ausente do time do Sport é Ronaldo Alves. Sua última partida foi na vitória por 3 a 0 sobre o Danúbio, no último dia 6, pela Copa Sul-Americana, quando sofreu um estiramento muscular. De lá para cá foram cinco jogos, incluindo o triunfo por 3 a 1 diante do Central, pela última rodada do hexagonal do Campeonato Pernambucano, quando o Sport atuou com um time reserva.

Já Henriquez ganhou vaga na equipe justamente por conta da lesão de Ronaldo Alves, sendo titular na vitória sobre o Náutico por 3 a 2, pela ida da semifinal do Estadual, e na derrota por 2 a 1 frente ao Joinville (classificação nos pênaltis), quando precisou ser substituído no segundo tempo após sentir um desconforto na coxa esquerda. Problema que o tirou do clássico do último domingo, contra os alvirrubros, na Arena de Pernambuco.

Caso ambos reúnam condições de atuar, a dúvida é saber como será formada a zaga do Sport para o jogo contra o Botafogo. A tendência seria a volta natural de Ronaldo Alves, mas a falta de ritmo de jogo pode pesar contra o defensor. Assim, Henriquez e Matheus Ferraz, autor do gol que garantiu a vaga do Sport na final do Pernambucano, voltariam a disputar outra vaga. O técnico Ney Franco já adiantou que a parte física será fundamental para a definição do time. O Sport encerra os trabalhos para essa partida na manhã desta terça, no CT.

Para a partida diante dos cariocas, o único desfalque certo é o do atacante Leandro Pereira, suspenso pelo terceiro cartão amarelo. Na reapresentação nesta segunda-feira, o centroavante sentiu um incômodo no joelho e teve que sair do treinamento mais cedo, sendo reavaliado posteriormente.

superesportes

Bandeirinha chama a atenção por transparência na roupa

lancenet

Messi dispara na Chuteira de Ouro

POR ANDRÉ SCHMIDT

Sem vencer a Chuteira de Ouro, prêmio dado ao maior artilheiro das ligas nacionais da Europa, desde a temporada 2012/2013, Messi está perto de encerrar este jejum. Autor de dois gols na vitória sobre o Real Madrid, por 3 a 2, o argentino disparou na liderança da premiação, se aproximando de seu quarto título, que o igualaria a Cristiano Ronaldo.

O camisa 10 do Barcelona já marcou 31 gols no Espanhol 2016/2017, três a mais que o vice-líder do prêmio até agora, o holandês Bas Dost, do Sporting, que anotou 28 no Português, mas passou em branco nesta rodada. 

Pior registo do FC Porto em 15 anos e Benfica em posição inédita para o tetra

Dez pontos para um objetivo histórico, mas até já foram necessários apenas três

O «dérbi de Lindelof» deixou o Benfica na liderança do campeonato, a quatro jornadas do final. Os encarnados caminham para o fim da Liga com vantagem sobre o FC Porto, passaram o desafio teoricamente mais difícil e com o empate dos portistas frente ao Feirense precisam de dez pontos para chegarem ao tetra.

Um empate portista que é mais do que isso, é a 12º vez dos azuis e brancos sem marcar na temporada. Pior registo só se encontra quando Otávio Machado orientava a equipa e foi substituído por José Mourinho.

Na História dos campeonatos ainda, esta é a quinta vez em que o Benfica tenta chegar ao quarto título consecutivo. Ele já até esteve dependente de um só encontro, mas a quatro jornadas do fim nunca o cenário foi tão vantajoso para os encarnados.

12 zeros do FC Porto

Pela quinta vez na temporada, o FC Porto não marcou num jogo de Liga. E essa é uma tendência que surge desde o último campeonato conquistado. Com Vítor Pereira, em 2012/13, os dragões só não faturaram em dois jogos do campeonato: na primeira jornada com o Gil Vicente e em Alvalade.

Após esse título de campeão, os números aumentaram e em três de quatro épocas fixou-se no cinco: a exceção é 2014/15, em que não marcou em quatro jogos.

Porém, mais preocupante é o facto de no total das provas este ser o 12º jogo sem marcar em 2016/17. A formação de Nuno Espírito Santo piorou os números da temporada passada (11 jogos em branco) e pior registo só há 15 anos.

Em 2001/02, o FC Porto teve 15 partidas sem marcar. Quatro com Mourinho e 11 com o antecessor Otávio Machado.

Benfica em jogo do tetra frente ao FC Porto

O nulo do Dragão e a igualdade do dérbi deixam o Benfica com três pontos de vantagem na liga.

Após o jogo com o Sporting, o presidente Luís Filipe Vieira quis manter o universo das águias com pés assentes no chão e para além dos acontecimentos de 2012/13 que o dirigente recordou, há mais razões para esse discurso.

O Benfica já esteve a um jogo de ser tetracampeão e não o conseguiu. Foi precisamente num 23 de abril, data igual à deste domingo, que no Campo da Constituição os encarnados empataram 3-3 com o FC Porto.

As águias tinham ganho as três primeiras ligas e em 1938/39 tentaram, pela primeira vez, ser tetracampeãs. A quatro partidas do final estavam três pontos atrás dos portistas. Portanto, nessa altura, dependiam ainda de um deslize azul e branco. Ele até aconteceu, mas o Benfica não venceu o último dos quatro jogos e passou o resto da História a sonhar com o tetra.

A quatro jogos do fim a regra encarnada era ir atrás

Nas épocas após ser tricampeão, [1938/39, 1965/66, 1969/70, 1973/74 e 1977/78] em quatro de cinco o Benfica esteve sempre atrás a quatro encontros do fim. Mas nessas cinco edições chegou sempre a esse quarteto de jornadas finais a precisar de vencê-las todas. O nulo entre FC Porto e Feirense muda o cenário para esta época.

Em 1965/66, o Benfica era líder exatamente a quatro partidas do final, com mais um ponto que o Sporting: o que na altura podia resultar em três vitórias e um empate, como agora (na pontuação atual, os tais 10 pontos).

Há, porém, uma ligeira diferença para este ano: com três vitórias e um empate, o Sporting podia igualar em pontos e a diferença de golos das duas equipas era muito próxima. Quer isto dizer que não havia a certeza de que aquele cenário (3V+1E) chegavam para o tetra, como neste momento há.

Curiosamente, foi a exatos quatro encontros do fim que o Benfica perdeu em Guimarães e o leão passou para a frente até ser campeão. Portanto, a esta distância do final da Liga, o Benfica encontra-se na melhor situação de sempre para chegar ao ambicionado tetra.

A sequência

A águia lidera o campeonato há 26 jornadas. Quer isso dizer que Rui Vitória pode terminar com 30 seguidas na liderança isolada. Três triunfos e um empate dão essa certeza e serão o melhor registo de invencibilidade do treinador, na Liga, nas duas épocas em que orientou o Benfica.

Neste momento, as águias vivem uma sequência de 11 partidas sem perder no campeonato. Só não é a melhor da temporada porque entre a 1ª e a 11ª também foram invencíveis, mas obtiveram mais dois pontos: 29 contra 27 desta.

Ora, não perder qualquer jogo até final pode não garantir o objetivo máximo, mas os encarnados chegarão aos 15 encontros de invencibilidade com Rui Vitória. Na época passada, a melhor sequência foi de 14 sem perder na Liga. Até que chegou o confronto com os portistas na Luz, que o Benfica perdeu. Outra diferença para esta época, em que não saiu derrotado em nenhum dos jogos grandes.

FA Cup, Scottish Cup and Premier League: 10 talking points

Christian Benteke returns to haunt Liverpool, Wayne Rooney is up for the Manchester derby while Celtic’s Brendan Rodgers has a problem for next season

• The Dozen: our pick of the weekend’s best football photos

1) Guardiola trading on his past record for now

This is the first time Pep Guardiola has failed to win a trophy in any of his eight seasons as a manager and, however it is dressed up, that amounts to a crashing disappointing bearing in mind the level of expectation at Manchester City and their near-obsession with appointing him. A reasonable argument could be made that Guardiola would be facing the sack were it not for his record of 21 trophies in seven years at Barcelona and Bayern Munich and it will be intriguing to see what the club’s chairman, Khaldoon al-Mubarak, makes of it in his usual end-of-season review. Mubarak described Manuel Pellegrini’s final season at the club, when City won the Capital One Cup, finished fourth in the Premier League and reached the semi‑finals of the Champions League, as the bare minimum. Guardiola’s team have accumulated more league points than the 32-game mark last season, 64 to 57, but they have regressed in every other way. “Next season we will be stronger,” Guardiola said. He had better be right because the people in charge in Abu Dhabi will not tolerate a repeat. Daniel Taylor

2) Eriksen should not still be overlooked

Tottenham will scratch their heads and try not to get too angsty about their FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea. Perhaps it would have been better to have lost this game in a straightforward way, outclassed for 90 minutes or beaten by some sharp finishing. Instead Spurs lost in a weird, confusing way, dominating at times, but somehow going down 4-2 to more hoary-handed opponents. It must be hard in particular for Christian Eriksen, who found himself in the rare position of playing two sublime scoring passes, in particular that wonderful ball for Dele Alli’s run, but still losing the game. Eriksen’s craft in particular should give Tottenham heart for the rest of this season. He has 11 goals and 16 assists in all competitions now, is so often a delight to watch, and remains a candidate for most underrated and largely unheralded creative player in the Premier League. Barney Ronay

3) Rooney up for Manchester derby

As in life, football is all about timing, so are Manchester United about to end the season by finishing in the top four at Manchester City’s (or Liverpool’s) expense? Until this weekend Pep Guardiola’s side appeared to be coasting to a Champions League berth but they wake on Monday to the unthinkable prospect of a trophy-less campaign plus no elite European football next term. United beat Burnley to leave them only a point behind City before Thursday’s derby. Later on Sunday City were knocked out of the FA Cup semi-finals by Arsenal. If this was not enough, factor in a debilitating tie in the sunshine stretched to the full 120 minutes, and United have a golden chance to land a sizeable blow at the Etihad Stadium. As Wayne Rooney said: “It’s two great teams and it’s massive for City. There’s a fight for the top four and we’re both in the fight. We’ll be ready.” Jamie Jackson

4) Clucas’s remarkable rise continues

If Marco Silva deserves every plaudit going – and he is certainly showing up a few top-tier managerial peers, most notably Sunderland’s David Moyes – Sam Clucas must surely be Hull’s player of the season. Like Silva, the midfielder is a big reason why survival hopes remain strong and, on Saturday, he played a very big part in helping his 10-man team beat Watford. Remarkably, Clucas has played in English football’s top five divisions in successive seasons, with this startling rise prompted by Glenn Hoddle. Perhaps fittingly, the 25-yard left-foot volley with which the 26-year-old put Hull 2-0 up was a goal Hoddle, who rescued his career after his release by Lincoln seven years ago, would have savoured. Ditto the measured passing skills first honed at the former England coach’s Spanish academy, which are apparently now impressing Hoddle’s latest international successor, Gareth Southgate. Louise Taylor

5) Benteke shows up Liverpool failings

It wasn’t so much a muted celebration, more a deadpan one: with the faint hint of a smile on his lips, Christian Benteke looked quietly delighted to have scored twice against his old club. He now has as many goals against Liverpool at Anfield as he did for them there (five), so it perhaps wasn’t a surprise that he scored two on Sunday. Neither was it startling that Liverpool slipped up against a “weaker” team. There’s nobody better at playing teams in the top half, unbeaten in 16 games against the Premier League’s cream as they are, but they are seventh in a table of results against those in the bottom half. It gets even worse with the bottom third, where they’re 11th. With both Manchester clubs breathing down their necks and Arsenal nine points back with three games in hand, Liverpool’s curious problems with the lesser lights of the top flight could end up costing them a Champions League place. Nick Miller

6) Clement takes the relegation strain

Paul Clement is used to being involved in high-pressure games. He is used to competing for Champions League trophies with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, or readying himself for a Premier League title run-in with Chelsea. But battling to keep Swansea City in England’s top tier is new territory for the Englishman, who made his name by assisting Carlo Ancelotti at some of Europe’s biggest clubs. The Swans trail 17th-placed Hull City by two points with just four fixtures remaining. The Welsh club have to travel to Manchester United on Sunday, before hosting an in-form Everton the following week. These games will be Clement’s Champions League finals. “I’m now the one making the big decisions,” he said. “The pressure is far greater on me but for the team, whether you’re fighting for titles or staying in the league, they’re both high-pressure situations.” Jake Bacon

7) Koeman set for summer of transfer activity

It looks like it’s going to be a busy summer for Ronald Koeman and Steve Walsh, with a probable Europa League campaign to plan for, a first-team squad to continue developing and one or two more of the under-23 side, likely champions of their division, to be integrated into the squad. David Unsworth’s young side have a game to play against Liverpool and are six points clear of Manchester City who play their match in hand, also against Liverpool, on Monday and Everton’s goal difference is eight better. On Saturday at West Ham Joel Robles was dropped for Maarten Stekelenburg, with both goalkeepers yet to make convincing cases to get the No1 job permanently; there are doubts about the mobility of Phil Jagielka and Ashley Williams at the back; Ross Barkley has yet to commit to a new deal; and James McCarthy’s fitness or lack of it remains a live issue. And then there is the Romelu Lukaku situation, two years remaining but not happy. A top-seven finish is acceptable for a squad in transition after three years of Roberto Martínez’s possession for possession’s sake football but Everton were guilty of similar on Saturday in the London Stadium’s first goalless draw. Mark Tallentire

8) Gibson missed a trick with Pardew

Football, like life, is full of “sliding doors” moments, heavily punctuated by “what ifs”. After sacking Aitor Karanka, Steve Gibson, Middlesbrough’s owner, ignored the pile of hats thrown into the Teesside ring by would-be managerial successors and promoted the inexperienced Steve Agnew from within. While Agnew has failed to win a game since and seen the side all but relegated following Saturday’s implosion at Bournemouth, things just might have been different had Gibson hired Alan Pardew. “Pardiola” has a record of instantly improving teams and, crucially, is essentially a counterattacking coach. With Boro very much set up to play on the break by an over-cautious Karanka, the rather more extrovert Pardew seemed precisely the right personality and tactician to rescue them. Instead the height of their current ambitions is achieving a first league win of 2017 against Sunderland in The Riverside’s “derby of the doomed” on Wednesday. Louise Taylor

9) Rodgers creating a problem where none exists

Despite being the master of all before him, Brendan Rodgers hasn’t quite mastered one Celtic dilemma; how to play Moussa Dembélé and Leigh Griffiths consistently in the same team. The issue was apparent at Hampden against Rangers after Dembélé’s enforced removal through injury, Griffiths stepping from the bench to replace the France Under-21 player. Griffiths duly won the penalty that confirmed Celtic’s success and provided the kind of threat which was evident last season, when the Scotland international notched 40 goals. Griffiths has had struggles with fitness and form since then but, certainly in a Scottish context, remains a constant threat to opponents. Dembélé’s status and ability are hardly up for debate. Yet Griffiths, who is still only 26, has plenty to offer. It seems a shame that Celtic have developed a policy of one or the other. Ewan Murray

10) Aberdeen steel themselves for talent exodus

It may be that the Scottish Cup final marks both the high and end point for the squad as assembled by Derek McInnes at Pittodrie. Consistency of selection and the building of an experienced team have been key to Aberdeen’s gradual development. And yet, curiously, other clubs have not tried to poach their best talent. That may now change. The captain, Ryan Jack, is out of contract in the summer. Niall McGinn will move to England while Championship interest is also inevitable in the impressive Jonny Hayes, Graeme Shinnie and Kenny McLean. McInnes himself, after a wounding time at Bristol City, will inevitably relish another spell south of the border. Aberdeen’s fans are right to enjoy this season’s climax, with second place in the league almost assured and now a Hampden showpiece to come. A degree of enforced upheaval might be the cost of success thereafter. Ewan Murray

Liverpool need flawless finish and a Manchester City favour, says Emre Can

Midfielder wants wins in last four games in battle for Champions League spot 
• Pep Guardiola’s City can aid Jürgen Klopp’s side by beating Manchester United

Emre Can has said Liverpool need a flawless end to the season to secure Champions League qualification and a favour from Manchester City against José Mourinho’s United on Thursday.

Liverpool’s hold on a top-four finish weakened on Sunday when they slipped to a 2-1 defeat at home against Crystal Palace. “It is always the same,” said Can, lamenting the “stupid” defending at a set piece that enabled Christian Benteke to seal Palace’s victory with a second goal of the game against his former club.

United can overtake Jürgen Klopp’s side in the Premier League by winning their two games in hand and seventh-placed Arsenal would draw level with maximum points from their outstanding matches. Can believes the initiative remains with Liverpool but admits they have no margin for error with four matches to play.

“We are frustrated, disappointed,” the midfielder said. “It is always the same. We controlled the game, I think we didn’t play too bad but then we conceded two goals from two chances. It’s very disappointing. We can be disappointed after the game but from Monday we have to look forward. We have got to go again and it is still in our hands. If we win the last four games, we will reach the Champions League. Some of the other top teams will play against each other and we will give it our best.”

Liverpool have spent only two weeks outside the top four since September but could be out of the Champions League places when they kick off at Watford next Monday. Klopp’s side then host Southampton and travel to West Ham United before Middlesbrough visit on the final day of the season, and Can believes four successive wins are required to qualify for Europe’s premier competition.

He said: “Four wins has to be the target. The next game is Watford and we want to win there and we will see what happens. Everyone is very disappointed because we should have won against Palace. We had the chances. It was stupid from us. Again it was a set piece. We had worked on them in training, we had trained very well. All the set pieces in training we had done very well but again we concede a goal after a set piece. It was stupid.

“You are always disappointed to lose a game but we didn’t play too bad. We had patience and everything and then we were 1-0 up. We have to be clever, smarter in that position. And then we concede two goals.”

Can took responsibility for failing to double Liverpool’s lead against Sam Allardyce’s side when he missed a glaring chance from Georginio Wijnaldum’s cutback. “The ball didn’t come at me too quick,” he admitted. “I don’t know why but I couldn’t score the goal and it was a good opportunity. The pitch was a little bit dry but I have to score this goal. I know this.”

Adam Lallana is expected to return from a long-term lay-off against Watford but, after Daniel Sturridge rejoined Liverpool’s lengthy injury list before the game against Palace with another hip problem, Can claimed the absences took a toll on Sunday. “When you look at the bench it was very young,” he said. Liverpool’s substitutes included two 17-year-olds – Rhian Brewster and Ben Woodburn – the 18-year-old Trent Alexander-Arnold and the 19-year-old Joe Gomez. “We miss a lot of our players, there are a lot of injuries. You should look at Chelsea. They are lucky with that, for example. We don’t have luck with this – but it is no excuse. We have to go again. We have to fight for our target.”

Can hopes Pep Guardiola’s side help Liverpool’s top-four aims on Thursday by ending Manchester United’s run of 23 matches unbeaten in the Premier League. He said: “Is a City win the better result? Then I am for City. One of the top teams will drop points and that is a good thing. We have to be there and in the next game against Watford, we have to win again.”

Pep Guardiola needs time to prove naysayers wrong at Manchester City

The City manager could be forgiven for regarding Sunday’s epic clásico with growing nostalgia but it was a reminder of the way systems can be torn apart by moments of individual brilliance

Should Pep Guardiola have happened to find himself in front of a television on Sunday night, he might have been drowned by a wave of nostalgia. A few hours after his lukewarm Manchester City team had unravelled at Wembley, a spectacular clásico was about to reach a stunning conclusion at the Bernabéu. The 10 men of Real Madrid had fought back from the dead to equalise with five minutes left and they were seconds away from all but ending Barcelona’s title hopes. They just had to resist one final, desperate attack. In fact, it was simpler than that. They just had to keep the ball away from Lionel Messi.

We all know what happened next. Sergi Roberto won possession deep in Barcelona’s half and the right-back ran and ran before moving the ball to André Gomes. Jordi Alba overlapped on the left and pulled the ball back and if his pass had found any other player, the game probably would have finished 2-2. Instead it found Messi. In a split second, the narrative had changed dramatically. The story was no longer about yet another Madrid comeback. Barcelona ended the night top of La Liga and while the goal owed plenty to Sergi Roberto’s surge, Gomes’s composure and Alba’s assist, only one player could have delivered the killer blow so nervelessly.

It was a reminder of the potential for the greatest footballers to tear systems apart with moments of individual brilliance that bend games to their will. As Messi curled that shot past Keylor Navas, it was tempting to wonder whether Guardiola, feeling the strain after City’s FA Cup semi-final defeat by Arsenal, really made the right decision to give up the right to work with the best player in the world five years ago.

Under Guardiola’s guidance, Messi maximised his awesome potential to astonishing and devastating effect. With Messi leading the attack, Guardiola won 14 trophies in his first managerial job. But theirs was not an equal relationship. Messi has continued to win the Ballon d’Or. There have been three more La Liga titles. When Barcelona won the Champions League in 2015, Messi destroyed Guardiola’s Bayern Munich more or less single-handedly.

By contrast, while Guardiola has not exactly failed since deciding he could no longer stand the intensity of daily life at Barcelona, life without Messi has not been straightforward. Here is where it must be acknowledged that Guardiola made a brave move to willingly let go of such a good thing by looking to test himself and develop his ideas in foreign lands.

But now the critics who were waiting for him to stumble are getting what they wanted. Because he has enjoyed and made the most of considerable advantages, there have always been doubts about Guardiola – La Liga is a joke, the Bundesliga is a farce, I could manage Xavi, Messi and Iniesta with my eyes closed – but he managed to keep them in proportion at Bayern, even though he failed to reach a Champions League final after inheriting the European champions from Jupp Heynckes.

Having left Germany as a qualified success, however, a disappointing first year at City has given further encouragement to the Guardiola knockers who believe his reputation was falsely enhanced by Messi. The drab defeat by Arsenal means that this will be Guardiola’s first trophyless season and even if City hold off Manchester United in the battle to finish in the top four, it is impossible to say that this is what the club’s owners had in mind when Manuel Pellegrini left last summer.

It is, of course, always possible to detect a strange kind of glee whenever Guardiola falters, a curious mistrust of intellectualism and expertise, a sense that some people really do get a kick out of witnessing the demise of a foreign manager who likes sweeper keepers, wingers as full-backs and full-backs as midfielders, but who says that he “doesn’t train tackles” after a shambolic 4-2 defeat at Leicester City. You can lift Barcelona off the floor and turn them into the greatest team of all time, outlast Madrid in suffocating title races, outwit Sir Alex Ferguson in two European finals and bewitch the players of Bayern Munich. But it means nothing if you cannot cut it in the Premier League. Call it the Allardici Principle.

None of which seeks to shift the blame from Guardiola for City’s meekness against Arsenal or for the way they have allowed Chelsea to skitter off into the distance. City began the season like a house on fire, but their title challenge fizzled out long ago. They exited the League Cup early, defended woefully against Monaco in the Champions League and find themselves a point above United before hosting José Mourinho’s rejuvenated side on Thursday.

Guardiola has been unable to eradicate City’s defensive flaws. He has placed too much trust in Claudio Bravo, a goalkeeper who turns to sand whenever the ball heads in his direction, unsuccessfully experimented with Pablo Zabaleta in midfield, picked Jesús Navas at right-back, decisions that have left him open to a charge of needless complication, but ones which might not have been necessary if City’s squad did not contain so many holes.

Either way, experimentation and innovation have set Guardiola apart in the past. When it comes together, as it has done on fleeting occasions for City, the results are joyous. They have beaten Barcelona convincingly and played United off the park at Old Trafford.

Against Chelsea in December they lost only after Kevin De Bruyne had spurned a glorious chance to make it 2-0. The margins can be so fine at the top. How different would City’s season have been without those serious injuries to Ilkay Gündogan and Gabriel Jesus?

Guardiola is like any other manager in this regard, a hostage to fortune, his job defined by little moments of big significance and, ultimately, whether his players are good enough and motivated enough to carry out his instructions.

He arrived at City looking to build a legacy. He may have to adapt and adjust to England, but he will also need time and patience. He has not been in Manchester long, so cannot be held accountable for the club’s indifferent transfer policy or for the way this squad has drifted and aged and grown too comfy since winning the league in 2014.

Such is life as a manager. In the modern game, individuals can make or break you. “At Barça, my tactics consisted of getting the ball to Messi,” Guardiola once told those closest to him. Now Luis Enrique’s reputation largely rests on a little Argentinian genius. Without that luxury, Guardiola has to find another way to prove himself. But he will be allowed to succeed only if City’s board accept that the buck does not always stop with the manager.

It was a reminder of the potential for the greatest footballers to tear systems apart with moments of individual brilliance that bend games to their will. As Messi curled that shot past Keylor Navas, it was tempting to wonder whether Guardiola, feeling the strain after City’s FA Cup semi-final defeat by Arsenal, really made the right decision to give up the right to work with the best player in the world five years ago.