After being knocked out of the Round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup, Manchester City have plenty of negatives as well as positives to take from the competition.
One negative is that, as Bernardo Silva pinpointed Manchester City’s struggles against Al-Hilal, the 30-year-old claimed that his side found it difficult to keep them quiet on the break.
Last season, Pep Guardiola’s men were ripped apart on the break by several sides such as Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal and even now, this very issue remains their Achilles heel.
Furthermore, Rodri complained about his fitness a week before City played Al-Hilal in Orlando and seemed to suffer a knock during the contest.
Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Ruben Dias after Juventus vs Manchester City.
Photo by Luciano Bisbal/Getty Images
Man City and Chelsea have banked £36.6 million at FIFA Club World Cup
The Club World Cup fascinated Pep Guardiola to the extent that he was keen to manage Manchester City in the competition even if he was leaving by signing a short-term contract, which is a positive for the manager as he experienced coaching during the tournament until the last-16.
Additionally, Manchester City’s transfer strategy of deciding whether they need to make more signings based on their displays in the United States has become clearer now they have exited the competition.
More Man City News
Another reason for Manchester City to be content with their time at the Club World Cup is because football finance expert Stefan Borson told talkSPORT that they have earned the same amount as Chelsea despite being eliminated in the Round of 16, as he explained: “They’re both actually getting about $50 million (£36.6 million). Because City had a higher initial payment, around $35 million (£25.6 million) just for turning up then they won two games at $2 million (£1.4 million) a game and then they got to the Round of 16, so it’s about $50 million.”
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and new signing Rayan Cherki
Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images
“Because Chelsea had a lower entry fee and won two games, not three [unlike Manchester City], now they’re in the quarter-finals, they’re at around the same as City.”
Man City’s financial target before the FIFA Club World Cup
Manchester City’s earnings being the same amount as Chelsea at £36.6 million could satisfy the club as effectively finances their £33 million signing of Rayan Cherki.
However, being the elite club that they are, City would have liked to go all the way.
The Athletic have revealed that before the Club World Cup began, individuals responsible for handling Manchester City’s finances were targeting a place in the quarter-finals at the very least.
As a result, City have missed out on banking a whopping figure of $13.7 million (£10.5 million).