Opening their Champions League campaign against a Lyon side who have struggled to get going in Ligue 1, many expected Manchester City to run riot against Bruno Génésio’s side.
However, the complete opposite happened, and the French outfit walked away with the three points, as Pep Guardiola’s men were unable to create anything for large portions of the game.
For L’Equipe, the main issue for Manchester City was their lack of Kevin De Bruyne, as Ilkay Gündogan failed to provide the creativity and stability his injured teammate showcases so often.
The French newspaper also use this to have a slight, playful dig at Jürgen Klopp, who was quoted as saying the Premier League champions wouldn’t miss the Belgian all that much over the course of his absence.
They note that once the German midfielder was taken off and Bernardo Silva dropped into his role, Manchester City felt far more comfortable, but it was too little, too late.
Furthermore, without De Bruyne, L’Equipe state none of the Manchester City players stepped up and acted as a leader, grabbing their team by the scruff of the neck to make something happen, which the former Chelsea man so often does.
All in all, a forgettable night for everyone involved, including Jürgen Klopp, by the sound of things.
