Chapter 343: Last-Minute Win Against Monaco, Ranieri Gets Sacked
After returning to England from Germany, Manchester City took a two-day break and then traveled to Birmingham to face Aston Villa. Although Aston Villa isn't particularly strong, their rough playing style can be challenging, even for top teams. Carelessness could lead to an upset.
Fortunately, Manchester City was in excellent form for this match. They scored two goals within the first 20 minutes. Aston Villa's aggressive tactics didn't help, and they eventually lost 0-3 to Manchester City. With this win, City continued to lead the league with a perfect record. Chelsea, however, stayed close behind. In their match against Arsenal, Chelsea won 2-0 at home thanks to goals from Hazard and Diego Costa, keeping them just three points behind City.
Meanwhile, Manchester United faced Everton and narrowly won 2-1, marking their second consecutive win and moving up to fourth place in the league. Falcao and Di Maria both scored, quieting some of their critics.
After the Premier League match, Manchester City quickly returned home for an EFL Cup match. Facing a weaker opponent, Pellegrini rotated the squad, fielding many substitutes. Despite this, City still managed a 7-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday, advancing to the next round.
With successes in three competitions, Manchester City seemed poised to replicate their previous season's glory. There was widespread optimism about them defending their league title for the first time in club history.
This optimism peaked after City's 4-1 home win over Tottenham in the eighth round of the Premier League.
"Eight consecutive wins! Who can stop Manchester City?" "The Rise of a Giant: Witness the Ascendancy of Manchester City in the Premier League!" "Tottenham is like City's toy; they get thrashed every time they meet!" "Tottenham hasn't performed badly this season, ranking high on the table. But in this match, they seemed completely outclassed." "Indeed, it's as if they're inherently weak against City, always suffering heavy defeats!" "Tottenham's performance wasn't bad, considering they scored. Last season, City crushed them 6-0 at home!"
Fans were not surprised by City's home win. The Etihad Stadium has always been a fortress, difficult for other Premier League teams to conquer. However, the repeated heavy defeats Tottenham suffered against City puzzled many. Though Tottenham is not a top-tier team, they are a strong contender just below the Big Five. The drastic disparity in their performances against City was baffling.
Last season, City scored 11 goals over two matches against Tottenham, leaving Spurs fans with a severe case of "Cityphobia." Among the 20 Premier League teams, City had become the one they least wanted to face.
Amidst the shock at City's eight consecutive wins and their dominant form against Tottenham, a seasoned journalist published an article titled "The Premier League is Heading Towards Its Demise!" The subtitle read: "Dominant Manchester City Might Destroy the Premier League's Foundation!"
The journalist's sensational headline grabbed attention, but his article was well-researched, filled with data and technical analysis. He argued that the Premier League's appeal lies in the intense competition among multiple top teams and the suspense of each season's title race. If City continues to dominate, creating a monopoly on the title, the league's biggest selling point could vanish, reducing its overall appeal and potentially leading it to a fate similar to the Bundesliga.
In recent years, the Bundesliga saw a surge in international viewership thanks to Borussia Dortmund challenging Bayern Munich's dominance. However, with Dortmund's decline and Bayern's resurgence, the league has become monotonous again, impacting its global viewership.
"Honest journalist, making a valid point. We can't let City dominate alone!" "Agreed, other teams should unite, focus on taking down City!" "Count Manchester United in!" "Chelsea's in too!" "Arsenal is interested!" "Liverpool's been fed up with City for a while!" "Tottenham, we're willing to help..."
Fans from other teams collectively responded: "Get lost!"
Though these were just online fan discussions, the rivalries among Premier League teams meant they were unlikely to unite against City. After all, Manchester United had already dominated the league during Ferguson's era without much complaint. The current resentment towards City stemmed from their rapid rise, which older, established clubs found hard to accept. Over time, as City continues to win, this sentiment might change.
Nevertheless, becoming the league's public enemy soon had tangible effects. City's request to postpone their ninth-round league match against West Ham United, due to their Champions League game against Monaco, was rejected. The two matches were scheduled too close together, with only a day's gap. Last season, City had successfully requested a postponement for a similar situation, supported by the Premier League to help their European campaign. This time, however, both the league and West Ham declined.
West Ham, eager to exploit City's potential fatigue, refused the postponement. This decision complicated City's preparations, as the travel from Manchester to Monaco involved a 2000-kilometer trip, wasting several hours on flights alone. Despite the inconvenience, the Monaco match was crucial for City, as Monaco was the second-strongest team in the group and a direct threat to City's top spot. A win would significantly bolster City's lead in the group.
With three group stage matches remaining, it would be difficult for Monaco to catch up, meaning Manchester City is almost guaranteed to advance as group leaders. Securing the top spot would allow them to consider strategically resting key players and focusing on the league until the Champions League knockout stages begin. This would give the main squad some much-needed rest before the crucial matches.
Ultimately, Pellegrini decided to field his strongest team against Monaco.
Like Chelsea, Monaco's owner, Rybolovlev, is also a Russian oligarch. Whether it's genuine love for football or inspired by Abramovich's success in the Premier League, Rybolovlev invested heavily in Monaco in 2011. He hired Claudio Ranieri and spent a fortune on star players. In just a few seasons, Monaco had spent hundreds of millions of euros, bringing in numerous stars.
Naturally, such a significant investment demanded better results. Rybolovlev gave Ranieri a strict mandate: either win Ligue 1 or reach the Champions League semifinals. However, both goals seemed challenging for Monaco. Despite their heavy spending, Paris Saint-Germain's spending was even more extravagant. In the realm of financial football, even Manchester City couldn't compete with PSG.
Thus, it was inevitable that Ranieri would struggle to meet these high expectations. Ranieri's forte was managing mid-table teams with some existing talent, but he often struggled with top-tier teams, leading to frequent dismissals. Monaco's squad, before the influx of high-priced players, might have been just right for Ranieri. But the arrival of many stars made it harder for him to manage relationships and unlock their full potential.
Facing the formidable Manchester City, Ranieri naturally adopted a defensive counter-attacking strategy—a common choice for non-top teams against City. Ranieri's defensive setup was unique, with the three defensive lines closely packed, significantly compressing the attacking space and making it difficult for City's players to organize their attacks. Even a player as strong as Lin Quan struggled to find opportunities in such a tight space. Adding to City's woes, Kroos was injured and had to leave the field just 15 minutes into the match, disrupting City's attacking organization.
By the 80th minute, the score remained 0-0. The Louis II Stadium echoed with the loud cheers of Monaco fans, who were thrilled to see their team hold the defending champions to a draw, especially after being unexpectedly held to a draw by Zenit in the previous match. Before the game, many doubted Monaco's chances, with some predicting a heavy defeat.
In the VIP box, Monaco's owner watched his team being pinned back in their own half. His face darkened with displeasure. He wanted a resounding victory, not a draw earned through defensive play. With the match not yet over, it was uncertain if Monaco could even hold onto the draw. This thought made Rybolovlev look at Ranieri with growing discontent. He had invested so much in building a luxurious squad, only for Ranieri to manage them like this? If PSG could beat the mighty Barcelona in the Champions League, why couldn't Monaco defeat City?
As the match neared its end, Monaco's players grew more adventurous. They had held City for most of the match and felt emboldened to launch counterattacks. On the sideline, Ranieri wanted to stop this reckless behavior. He had watched many of City's games and knew they were adept at scoring late winners or last-minute goals. The previous season's Champions League semifinal win against Real Madrid was proof. Despite their good play for 80 minutes, any lapse in the final stages could lead to a crushing defeat.
However, just as he was about to issue instructions, a club official reminded him that the owner was unhappy with the team's performance and wanted a home win. Ranieri, being the honest person he was, couldn't go against the owner's wishes. He watched nervously as his players launched attacks, hoping against hope they would score and then fall back to defend resolutely.
Unfortunately, wishful thinking rarely pays off in football. In the 88th minute, City capitalized on Monaco's attacking push and launched a counter-counterattack. Within seconds, the ball moved from City's 30-meter area to Monaco's penalty area. City's counterattack was so swift that many Monaco players were caught out of position, still advancing when the ball was played behind them. Lin Quan took the ball into the penalty area and calmly slotted it past the onrushing goalkeeper, making it 1-0.
Lin Quan's goal stunned the entire stadium into silence. Monaco fans were left speechless. In the VIP box, Rybolovlev was furious, his face contorted with rage. He resolved to sack the Italian coach as soon as the match ended. He regretted not terminating Ranieri's contract at the end of the previous season, believing the team's performance could have been better without him.
Poor Ranieri once again became the scapegoat.