Guardiola’s emphasis on pace backfires as supply chain breaks and defence buckles

2026-03-12 - 14:23

Real Madrid left Erling Haaland marooned and picked off an unbalanced Manchester City in the Champions League Pep Guardiola’s wry and serial observation is that only victory makes the head coach appear a sage of the tactical battle. If defeat is endured then, fair or not, it is open season on the man who lives and dies by results. Cut to Wednesday’s 3-0 Champions League last-16 hammering of Manchester City by Real Madrid and Álvaro Arbeloa emanated a seer-like cool in