5 talking points as Man City beaten by Atletico thanks to former Man Utd misfit
Former Manchester United misfit Memphis Depay gave an illustration of the kind of firepower his old club are once again looking to spend a fortune on as Manchester City were hit by a storm in South Korea.
Depay, the Dutchman who has excelled since leaving Old Trafford after a disastrous 18-month spell with the Reds, struck a wonder goal as Atletico Madrid sent City home from the Far East on the back of a defeat.
The game had been held up for 40 minutes by a ferocious downpour that failed to dampen the enthusiasm of more than 66,000 fans in the World Cup Stadium.
Yannick Carrasco was also on target for Diego Simeone’s side with a shot from distance - before Ruben Dias headed home a late consolation for Pep Guardiola’s treble winners.
City dominated until Guardiola decided to make seven changes early in the second half - and Atleti boss Diego Simeone responded by bringing on 10 substitutes shortly afterwards.
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New £30 million signing Mateo Kovacic wasted the champions’ best chance when he blazed over after Athetico keeper Ivo Grbioc made two point-blank saves to deny James McAtee and Julian Alvarez.
Then Depay found the top corner with a bullet of a shot after cutting in from the left in the 65th minute.
Atletico celebrate Memphis Depay's goal (Getty Images)Depay could have scored again moments later, but after seeing his first efforts saved by City’s sub keeper Stefan Ortega, he volleyed the rebound over.
But the Spanish side scored again in the 75th minute when Carrasco found the bottom corner from long-range.
Dias leapt highest to direct home Sergio Gomez’s corner five minutes from time.
Here are the game's main talking points:
Bernardo Silva is staying put
With Ilkay Gundogan going to Barcelona, it may be the time for Bernardo Silva to once again show his versatility by stepping into a new central midfield role.
Silva has played there before - and didn’t look out of place. His composure, vision and ability to keep the ball in tight spaces makes him a natural to sit in alongside Rodri with the scope to break forward.
It’s been another summer of speculation surrounding the Portuguese midfielder. But City have once again put a £70million valuation on him to dampen down interest from Barcelona, Paris St Germain and Saudi Arabia.
It’s clear that Pep Guardiola sees Silva as ‘untouchable’ despite claiming any unhappy player can leave.
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Gundogan was a big-game player who came up with crucial goals at decisive moments during his seven years at the Etihad. Silva showed he can do the same last season by scoring against both Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Jack Grealish is the City player Atletico Madrid love to hate
Diego Simeone's side were at their competitive best (Getty Images)It took about 30 seconds for former Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta to renew his acquaintance with the England midfielder with a nibble at his ankles.
There is no such thing as a friendly when Diego Simeone’s Atletico are concerned after another couple of cheap shots on Grealish, referee Woo Sung Kim gave Azpilicueta a yellow card. On the substitute bench, former City defender Stefan Savic would have nodded in approval.
Rodrigo De Paul had a niggle in the second half and Grealish sparked a minor fracas by giving the Argentine a shove in the back.
Two years ago, Savic took to grabbing Grealish by his hair when City beat the Spaniards at the Etihad in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. After the Blues withstood a second-leg onslaught despite being kicked up and down the Wanda Metropolitan in the return, Savic had to be dragged away from Grealish by Spanish police after aiming a punch. And that was after Grealish had spent the game on the substitutes’ bench!
The kids are alright
City have started making a fortune from nurturing talent at their academy - and then selling it on for premium prices.
Now there appears to be a posse of talented youngsters ready to follow in Phil Foden ’s footsteps.
Rico Lewis has been rewarded with a six-year contract following an outstanding breakthrough season.
James McAtee looked at home in the City side (Getty Images)Now Cole Palmer, James McAtee and Oscar Bobb are striving for their big chances after being put through their paces in the Far East.
Keep an eye out, too, for Maximo Perrone, an exciting 20-year-old Argentine midfielder who was signed from Velez Sarsfield in January for £8million and hasn’t looked out of place alongside City’s big names.
Could Joao Cancelo be handed an Etihad reprieve?
Few players cross Pep Guardiola and stay to tell the tale.
Cancelo’s time at City appeared to be up when he kicked off about a lack of playing time and was booted to the Bundesliga to spend six months on loan at Bayern Munich.
But now Bayern want Kyle Walker - and if Guardiola loses the battle to keep the England right-back at the club then he will have to either bed in a new right-back or turn to Cancelo.
The Portuguese has featured prominently in pre-season. Either, he’s being prepared for action or put in the shop window.
The Souel World Cup Stadium was hit by storms (Getty Images)Everywhere they go, Man City always take the weather with them
Last summer, Pep Guardiola took his team to face Bayern Munich in Green Bay - and the game was delayed, interrupted and then shortened to 80 minutes by a violent thunderstorm that had prompted a weather warning from the authorities in Wisconsin.
This year, City have trained in broiling 40 degree temperatures in Japan and South Korea - leaving Guardiola to complain that his team will be undercooked for the Community Shield against Arsenal because he has been unable to push them to their limits.
City arrived at Seoul’s World Cup stadium to a downpour that was straight outta Manchester - and triggered a warning from the South Korean government about flooding and landslides.
The game was delayed by 40 minutes, but that didn’t stop the two European sides from putting on a show.
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