A circle of players dancing around a crumpled Champions League flag on the floor as Kevin De Bruyne leads a voluble anti-UEFA chant when in walks Pep Guardiola with a box of matches. Afterwards Guardiola, in committing his future to the club regardless of the appeal's success or failure, appeared entirely unflustered. Man City were handed a Champions League banHe may not have the matches with him – health and safety and all that – but it is not hard to imagine the message. If the appeal fails, even with Guardiola staying, the City squad is unlikely to stay intact. The lure of Champions League football elsewhere will be too great.

Source: Express February 21, 2020 14:37 UTC