It had just gone half-past eight in Manchester when a dissatisfied Pep Guardiola sat in the stands of the Etihad Stadium, probably wanting to go home, sit down, and enjoy a glass of the finest wine.
Man City were put to the sword by PSG in the first-half of their UEFA Champions League clash on Wednesday night.More Videos
Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha, unironically labelled as three of Paris Saint-Germain’s most dangerous talents ahead of this scintillating league-phase tie, had all scored to make it 3-0.
Manchester City were out of ideas.
This game was one full of drama; for City fans, the painful view of seeing the ball spin back from Maghnes Akliouche’s left-footed strike from the edge of the area to make it four, and for the PSG fans, well, the only real complaint is that they didn’t get back to Paris until the early hours of Thursday morning. Not that they’ll care.
Even in defeat, Erling Haaland somehow found a way to still break two records; one for each goal he scored. The forward’s first, a header from a welcoming cross by substitute Iliman Ndiaye, saw him overtake the legendary Sergio Aguero to become City’s highest-scoring European player; he then secured his brace and climbed to seventh on the all-time UEFA Champions League scorers list, above Ruud van Nistelrooy on 60 goals. It’s intriguing to note that he has hit that milestone in 20 fewer games than it took Lionel Messi, too.
The turnaround owed everything to Maresca’s ruthless intervention at the interval and the courageous yet admittedly obligatory decision to make three changes.
Abdukodir Khusanov started strong before handing PSG their opening two goals, and Ruben Dias found far too much patience and comfort, so much so that it became a massive risk under the relentless press of Luis Enrique’s side.
Dias was replaced by Matheus Nunes, one of Manchester City’s best-performing defenders against Liverpool at the weekend, while Khusanov surprisingly kept his place on the pitch.
Leaving Nunes out of the starting lineup had already been an unpopular decision for such a crucial contest, and his impact in the second period provided more evidence to back up that point.
What went wrong for Man City in the first-half against PSG?
From the start, City’s defensive blueprint was completely unravelled by the sheer speed and spatial intelligence of PSG. Operating in a passive, midfield-heavy block, City effectively invited their opponents to run straight at them.
Their slow and predictable build-up played right into PSG’s hands, allowing the away side to set lethal traps, trigger an aggressive high press, and repeatedly force turnovers in City’s half. The result was sobering: Enzo Fernandez and Elliot Anderson lost total control of the midfield, overwhelmed by the energy and precision of Vitinha and Warren Zaire-Emery.
It was a defining test of Maresca’s tactical flexibility, but one that brought success in a huge transformative wave.
Recognising that City’s passive mid-block was giving Vitinha total freedom to dictate the game and control its tempo, Maresca abandoned his initial style and, in its place, deployed an aggressive high press.
By pushing his defensive line right to the half-way line, as he did during his side's 3-0 win against Liverpool on Sunday, Maresca’s group ceased forcing play through an overcrowded central midfield and shifted to direct, vertical passes instead.
This benefited Haaland particularly but also created openings for all Manchester City players on the pitch - £125 million man Fernandez joined his teammate in hitting the woodwork late in the second half as the hosts continued their respectable push.
In the end, PSG walked away deserving winners, though Maresca admitted after the match that he believed his team deserved more from their second half of hope.
Why Man City supporters shouldn’t see PSG loss as a negative
For all their effort, City supporters leaving the Etihad should resist the urge to view this night as an unmitigated disaster. If anything, the chaos in the second half offered a reassuring glimpse into the tactical spine and resilience of Maresca’s evolving project.
Trailing 3-0 against back-to-back UEFA Champions League champions, Maresca was willing to hook his captain, tear up his low-risk build-up scheme and pivot to an aggressive, all-in style of play.
The result was a furious 27 shot onslaught where City won the second period on hunger, possession and pride. For supporters, a loss hurts, but a manager who adapts decisively and a squad that refuses to lie down are the exact foundations required to navigate the elite levels of European football.
Of course, an inescapable shadow hangs over this entire campaign as the club awaits the outcome of the appeal against their guilty verdict. Yet, amidst the off-pitch uncertainty, there is no reason for Maresca and his players to stop trying to achieve remarkable things.
The Manchester City manager now has a fairly simple run of games before their next huge tests against SSC Napoli at home and then Arsenal away five days later at the end of November.
Beyond providing a crucial opportunity to reset and lay the groundwork for another impressive win streak, this period must serve as a welcome respite: a chance to decompress and recharge key starters such as Haaland, Anderson, and Fernandez.
Equally, it offers Maresca the perfect window to afford valuable minutes to emerging talents such as Ayyoub Bouaddi and Iliman Ndiaye.
In the end, there is no shame in falling to a world-class side. PSG are European champions for a reason. But for those viewing this performance through a purely pessimistic lens, remember that every cloud has a silver lining.