Manchester City were on their knees from the beginning of this semi-final against Chelsea yet rose to the occasion yet again to keep their hopes of a domestic Double alive. Every push through the pain, every bit of lactic acid and every bit of defensive resolve proved worth it in the end as Bernardo Silva scored a late goal to book City's place in their second final in as many years.
Pep Guardiola had his head in his hands at full-time, in disbelief at just how his side had managed to win it.
"I'm really tired now," were Kevin De Bruyne's first words on the pitch in his interview. But the coach and players were ultimately vindicated for pushing through the pain barrier and showing their intent to defend their trophy.
The difference in cost of the starting XIs amounted to about £1million, whereas the two days of extra rest for Chelsea gave them the advantage. As well as City having to deal with the emotional fallout of their Champions League fallout, it was a physically crushing 120 minutes that both De Bruyne and Manu Akanji had been unable to complete.
It's not that Guardiola doesn't listen to his medical team, but he does not want tiredness used as an excuse by any of his players. There were plenty of fans who would have made more changes from the Real Madrid game in order to concentrate on having the best XI as fit as possible for the Premier League match at Brighton on Thursday, yet that is not the Guardiola way. The lineup may even have been stronger for going out of the Champions League, knowing that there are fewer games left this season.
Either way, it was a statement of intent that De Bruyne, Akanji and Kyle Walker started again after their recent issues. City's Treble hopes may be over but their pursuit of a Double would not die wondering.
This story is from the April 21, 2024 edition of MEN on Sunday.
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This story is from the April 21, 2024 edition of MEN on Sunday.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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