As a number of Manchester City players poured into Liv’s Deansgate Club on Wednesday night to celebrate what was the culmination of Pep Guardiola’s reign with a private party, it’s not hard to imagine one number earning a broadcast once the members of the team were gathered. .
John Stones, a favorite on the patio these days, gets as many serenades as anyone else. His good friend, Kyle Walker, chants his name down the halls of the training ground and – considering the lyrics are only Johnny, Johnny Stones – it’s not hard to understand. Beautiful ring, anyway.
Stones epitomizes City’s turnaround this season, which went from being well behind Arsenal to three wins away from becoming the only England team in history to win a Treble.
Three of Gareth Southgate’s regulars have acted as essential elements in City’s pursuit of greatness. Alongside Stones and Walker is Jack Grealish, his style more Brazilian than Real Madrid’s Samba pair on the night in a further show that he not only belongs at this level, but thrives when the lights are brighter. His awareness of his own powers was a standout story in City’s season.
In the shorter term, Stones has unleashed something in them. He studied the role of the first substitution between right-back and central midfield and really blossomed when Pep Guardiola scrapped that idea and moved him vertically from center half to Rodri.
Manchester City have reached the final of the Champions League by beating Real Madrid 5-1
John Stones epitomizes City’s turnaround this season, who went from well behind Arsenal to three wins away from a historic Treble
Stones ran the first 25 minutes of the second leg in the Champions League semi-final; Real had no idea how to deal with him.
Last week, Carlo Ancelotti had cleared, withdrawn and engaged both Stones and Rodri as the main offensive protagonists gained possession.
This time that option was taken from them, Stones was more progressive and aggressive in his running and occupying awkward spaces. City swarmed over Real as a collective but unlocked something in Stones.
He didn’t make a single tackle all night, the only City player not to do so other than Erling Haaland. Elite readers don’t engage in tackling. “I’m not a coach for the tackles,” Guardiola once said. How everyone laughed.
That was seven years ago – and it’s only three years since Stones might have headed for the Etihad exits. Open to offers, City started Eric Garcia and Fernandinho ahead of him before Guardiola’s nadir, a 3–1 defeat to Lyon in the quarter-finals. However, Stones insisted strongly that he would fight for his place and how happy they are now.
Kyle Walker also went from the ballpark to undropping when he chained Vinicius Junior
Elsewhere, Jack Grealish (left) flies, while Phil Foden (right) reminded us of his genius
Not just anyone is capable of this intelligence, knowing when to drop into a back four and when to get on the field. Guardiola made a sharp remark a few weeks ago that Walker couldn’t – and it was understood that the 32-year-old would effectively sit and watch the quest for all three trophies.
But Walker, who admitted to doing some soul-searching afterwards, has gone from completely out of the picture to out of control in less than a month. It’s aided by Rodri’s extra help coming from the center of the pitch rather than full-back, so he’s got to do what he does best – manage Europe’s best wingers. And with great speed. Terrifying speed for someone approaching the twilight of his career.
Vinicius Junior, probably the most exciting on display at the moment, was reduced to complaining and being heard from City players for observed dives, not registering a successful dribble all match.
Walker, who recently clocked a top speed of 23.3 mph, twice stopped him from inflicting damage as he raced clear. One in the first half, when Vinicius appeared to have yards ahead, presented a spectacle as a stand-alone piece of action.
“You have to have a little arrogance, like the attackers,” Walker said. “If you can cross that arm, they lose their balance.”
Walker, great. Stones, great. And two other English guys were there too. Although Phil Foden has more splinters than he’d like with an artistic touch, he reminded Guardiola of his enduring quality with a deft assist for Julian Alvarez.
Last night’s sensational win was a culmination of Pep Guardiola’s reign at the club
Foden is a victim of circumstances, Riyad Mahrez excels on the right and Bernardo Silva opted for extra control in the biggest matches.
And then there’s Grealish on the other side. Grealish – whose growing confidence saw him take five Real players out of the game with one dribble – is now producing on a weekly basis and creating more chances than any Englishman has ever had in a Champions League season. More demanding of his teammates, a bit more selfish, but with a smart presence of mind to react to situations.
Still Jack the boy, still accidentally swearing in flash interviews on the tele and pinching himself that this is all happening, but with a wiser head and a better understanding of the game. Guardiola tends to do that to his players.
With City leading by two and Real having some threatening lunges, the ball broke almost halfway and many others would have tried to clear the lone man ahead, Haaland. Seeing that they were significantly outnumbered, Grealish checked in and slowed the game down.
City wasted a few seconds, got their form back to protect a transition. Guardiola loved it and blew air kisses towards Grealish from his technical room. A little theatrical maybe, but this was a show worth a little bit of that.