Adolescence is a time usually characterised by squabbles with authority and a struggle for acceptance by the wider world. In some ways it made perfect sense, therefore, for Pep Guardiola to describe his Manchester City team as the teenagers of the Champions League before the second leg of their round-of-16 tie at home to Schalke tonight. The club are still involved in battles with Uefa, Fifa, the FA and the Premier League. And in some senses, City are experiencing a struggle for acceptance in the European game too. Sheikh Mansour, the City owner, has replica Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup trophies in the presidential affairs office in Abu Dhabi, but the one piece…

Source: The Times March 12, 2019 00:00 UTC