Kolkata: The situation has reached a critical point. Pep Guardiola, who is known for his desire for control, witnessed his team relinquish it once more. Manchester City has consistently conceded goals in significant numbers against teams such as Sporting Lisbon, Brighton, Tottenham Hotspur, Feyenoord, Manchester United, and now Paris St Germain (PSG). Their struggle to maintain a lead has become as recognizable as it was previously improbable.

Guardiola and Luis Enrique share a long-standing relationship. Enrique has expressed his belief that Guardiola has created the ideal model for attacking football. Before this Champions League match, Guardiola spoke fondly of his friendship with the PSG manager, emphasizing their mutual support. However, for the duration of the match, the City manager hoped for PSG's shortcomings.

The quick goals from Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland scored within three minutes of each other after a first half in which City held only 36% possession—the lowest in over five years—would have signified a challenging night for PSG. Historically, PSG has struggled to maintain leads in European competitions, including a recent Champions League final. They have not successfully overturned a two-goal deficit since 2012, according to Opta.

However, Wednesday's match unfolded differently. PSG responded vigorously, dominating City in midfield. Fabian Ruiz frequently emerged as the additional player in the centre, which City struggled to counter. Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola brought PSG back on level terms, followed by Joao Navas and Gonçalo Ramos, who ensured a memorable evening for the Parisian supporters.

The absence of a holding midfielder has become a shared issue for both Manchester clubs, particularly with Rodri only able to watch from the stands at Parc des Princes. City’s challenges were compounded by Matteo Kovačić's lacklustre performance, Kevin De Bruyne's potential unfitness for a full match, and Ilkay Guendogan's failure to replicate his previous form at City.

Guardiola remarked, "They were quicker and faster, winning the duels while we struggled to keep up." He emphasized that Manchester City must secure a victory against Clube Brugge to advance to the play-off round, asserting that they do not deserve to qualify if they fail to achieve this.

In a tactical decision reminiscent of his approach against Bayern Munich, Enrique chose to employ a false nine rather than starting with Ramos. The earlier red card issued to Dembele had disrupted his plans. In the match against City, he adopted a similar strategy, this time featuring 19-year-old Désiré Doue in place of Dembele, who came on as a substitute in the second half.

From the outset, PSG directed more of their offensive efforts through Barcola, which resulted in City’s centre-backs being drawn to one side and Silva having to retreat deeper into defence. Barcola, aged 22, played a pivotal role in a PSG goal that was ultimately disallowed for offside late in the first half.

For PSG’s opening goal, Barcola skillfully manoeuvred past Nunes after receiving a pass from Ruiz. His movement compelled Josko Gvardiol to abandon Dembele in an attempt to close him down, as Kovačić was unable to keep pace.

Dembele’s goal invigorated PSG, and Barcola subsequently cut inside, sending a shot wide. The score was level at 2-2 when Nuno Mendes struck the crossbar, and Barcola capitalized on the rebound, sending it back toward the goal. He has recorded 11 goals and three assists in Ligue 1, with his first goal and assist of the Champions League season coming in the seventh match. Within four minutes, Barcola had not only erased the deficit but also reignited the anxieties that had plagued City since the previous October. He achieved a passing accuracy of 92%, won half of his six ground duels, and created one significant chance in addition to his goal and assist.

Barcola's advancement down the left flank prompted Guardiola to adjust his defensive lineup. However, this change had minimal impact, as Barcola's subsequent shot deflected off Haaland. Following this, Dembele executed a nutmeg on Silva and struck the post. It was fitting that Neves, at just 20 years old, found himself unmarked at the far post to head in PSG's third goal. With the lead established, PSG did not adopt a conservative approach; Navas's challenge to Silva illustrated their eagerness to maintain momentum. Before Ramos's goal, both he and Dembele had forced saves from Ederson. Guardiola remarked, “To defend the result, you have to keep the ball; we didn’t have it.”

As the prospect of an early exit from European competition became increasingly apparent, Enrique requested patience. PSG was transforming, moving away from the "flashy" era characterized by Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr., Kylian Mbappe, and Sergio Ramos. Although it is still early in the process, Barcola has emerged as a key figure, with his statistics for chance creation and successful dribbles in the initial 1200 minutes favourably compared to those of Mbappe, indicating that a new project is beginning to take form at PSG.

“This match will fortify my team. We are a youthful squad, yet we demonstrated our readiness to compete and our unwavering determination,” Enrique stated. “We will pose a significant challenge to any opponent we face.”

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