Not just out but out with a whimper.. Manchester City fought against the Real Madrid storm in 2023 and 2024 to leave with their heads held high, but this wasn’t even as a contest as Pep Guardiola’s side were toyed with and casually brushed aside by the European champions to show them how far they have fallen. City haven’t exited the competition – a competition they won less than two years ago – this early since Roberto Mancini was in charge and they displayed all the shortcomings that have brought this humbling: conceding soft goals and not offering enough attacking threat.. In fairness, the major theme of the season was partly responsible for the latter as Erling Haaland wasn’t fit enough to play. The star striker, with 27 goals to his name and 34 starts in 34 Premier League and Champions League games before this week, was unable to shake off an innoccuous jar to his knee picked up in the closing moments of the 4-0 win over Newcastle at the weekend to prove that City can’t have any nice things this season without another problem causing them pain.. Guardiola had spoken of rising optimism as the Blues landed in Madrid – up from the one per cent chance he had previously given them of overturning the 3-2 deficit anyway – but that was crushed before a ball was kicked. City didn’t stand a chance of the near perfection they needed without the presence and ability of the one player who would walk into the Real team.. That still didn’t excuse Ruben Dias missing a simple header in the fourth minute of the match, with Ederson in no man’s land as Kylian Mbappe lofted the ball over him and into the net. For all their problems with getting players onto the pitch, too often those on it have been found wanting.. City had barely kicked off when a stretcher was required for John Stones. He limped off unaided in the end, but here was another cruel blow with this game having only just started and the small matter of Liverpool at home on Sunday.. The tie was over, yet there was still 85 minutes where City could show fight or endure more suffering. It didn’t get any less painful for Blues, with Real toying with their helpless opponents all night as they enjoyed total control.. Mbappe took advantage of more desperate defending to make it 5-2 on aggregate before the first half was over, and even while not getting out of first gear the hosts looked far more dangerous whenever they did get the ball than City did. A hat-trick for the Frenchman on the hour mark was a fair reflection of the gulf, and late flickers of life that brought a Nico Gonzalez consolation did nothing to sugarcoat a grim scoreline.. City’s chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak was scathing the last time City were this limp at the Bernabeu, blasting the approach under Manuel Pellegrini – and that was a semi-final! – as he hinted that things would be different under Guardiola. They have been treated to brilliant and unprecedented highs but this low is a reminder that the club cannot run on those memories.. City can rightly feel aggrieved at their luck with injuries this season yet if they want to return to competing with Real and the rest some tough decisions are needed as the rebuild that has already shown early signs of promise since the four January arrivals continues in the summer. Kevin De Bruyne could offer nothing from the bench as he enters the final months of his City career, and with question marks around Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva and Ederson for next season as well as Matheus Nunes, Mateo Kovacic and others Al Mubarak and City bosses must put any potential awkwardness to one side and be ruthless.. Everyone has to spend the rest of this season, which needs to include a top-four Premier League finishes and deep runs in the FA Cup and Club World Cup, playing for their place in Guardiola’s squad next year because this level of performance will not be tolerated for much longer.. That starts on Sunday, where a response is expected if City are to avoid more humiliation at the hands of a team likely to strip them of their Premier League crown before the season is up. Guardiola’s players have to show that their time at the club should not end with their title defence.
