Manchester City vs Girona match report

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In a bizarre friendly just one week into the season, Man City travelled to Spain to face Girona. City lost the match 1-0 but there were plenty of positives to take.

The most absurd fact in the game was the fact that the most impressive Blue was wearing red and white.

Pablo Maffeo, on loan at Girona from Man City, was one of the 15 City players on the pitch along with 3 others who have been loaned to the newly promoted La Liga side.

Right back Maffeo was the only one to feature in the first XI with Aleix Garcia, Marlos Moreno and £10 million signing Douglas Luiz appearing as second half substitutes.
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And it was Maffeo who impressed the most not allowing the pacy Leroy Sane any space as well as getting forward himself with the men in sky blue seeming clueless as to why they found themselves in Catalonia at this stage in the season.

The real reason behind that being that the City Football Group is expected to announce the acquisition of Girona any time now, so this was a friendly gesture – as well as the fact that several players needed a game after just four pre-season games were played.

Pep Guardiola whose brother Pere Guardiola is involved with Girona, saw this encounter as a useful exercise as he gave his new signing from AS Monaco, Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva his first start in the sky blues of City.

Another positive to take was the introduction of Ilkay Gundogan in the second half as he completes his return to the pitch after 8 months out with an injury.

The impressive Phil Foden and Brahim Diaz, who were recently promoted to the senior team from the academy were also given a sharp lesson in the need for physicality amongst the big boys.

Guardiola made 9 changes to the side from the one that faced Brighton on Saturday with John Stones appearing for 45 minutes and Danilo playing a full 90 on his preferred right side.

Yaya Toure, Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling and the forgotten Eliaquim Mangala all garnered some useful minutes under their belt.

The French centre back who is still supposedly for sale perhaps was City’s best player on the pitch reiterating the fact that if Guardiola cannot find a quality centre back before the window slams shut, he should probably keep Mangala in the squad. The 26-year-old could prove to be an able cover for his first choice trio of John Stones, Nicolas Otamendi, and Vincent Kompany.

Tosin Adarabioyo proved he is not quite at the necessary level to take that role, getting caught too deep for the only goal.

He failed to close down Cristian Stuani’s run down the Girona left, who floated a cross towards the far post, Sane – in the left wing back role – showed his defensive naivety by tripping over his own feet and allowing Portu time and space to stroke the ball past Claudio Bravo.

City had their chances, with Sterling forcing a save from veteran goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz and Sane flashing a free kick just wide. Sterling, Bernardo and substitute  Gabriel Jesus all squandered opportunities late in the game.

Read: 3 key battles that will determine the London Derby.