At Manchester City, it is likely the real fall-out from Monday night’s defeat by Chelsea will not be felt for more than two weeks.
This weekend Manuel Pellegrini’s players take their chastened souls to Norwich City for a Barclays Premier League encounter. Then they face Sunderland at home.
Reasonable opportunity for rehabilitation and six points. Beyond that, however, lies another home clash with Chelsea, in the FA Cup.
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No avail: Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini cheers on his team in the defeat by Chelsea on Monday
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Daunting: Barcelona icon Lionel Messi dances through the Valencia defence - with City to come to the Nou Camp
Most significantly of all, there is a Champions League first leg game against Barcelona at the Etihad two weeks tonight. Perhaps we must wait until the morning of February 19th, then, to fully appreciate this week’s defeat.
It is not the fact that City lost on Monday that is so fascinating, it is the manner in which Chelsea exposed weaknesses we didn’t really know existed. Jose Mourinho and his attacking players found holes in City’s midfield. They could have scored three or four times.
Barcelona scouts will have flown home with much to think about. It is considered important that City bring their recent rampant home form to the first leg if they are to travel to Spain for the return with any hope at all. And if Chelsea have the players to exploit issues in the heart of Pellegrini’s team, Barcelona certainly do too.
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Weaknesses: Chelsea's Gary Cahill leaps over Vincent Kompany for the ball at the Etihad
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Marauding: Yaya Toure in action during City's defeat, with Chelsea's Nemanja Matic on his tail
Pivotal to the case, of course, is the fitness of City midfielder Fernandinho. The latest bulletin from the club was that the Brazilian will be absent with a muscle strain for ‘about two weeks’, which would put him right on the cusp of the Barcelona match.
Pellegrini must hope that the 28-year-old makes the cut.
Monday night showed how much his team needs him. City’s 4-2-3-1 formation would suggest they play with two holding midfield players. In reality they play with one. Yaya Toure’s rampaging runs forward may be spectacular and effective but at times they can be risky, leaving a gap for Fernandinho to plug.
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Missing in action: City badly felt the absence of Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho on the field
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Left behind: Pablo Zabaleta, chasing Eden Hazard, vowed City will not make the same mistakes
On Monday, Fernandinho’s stand-in Martin Demichelis was found a little wanting.
Pellegrini has options. James Milner and Jack Rodwell are approaching full match fitness and Pablo Zabaleta has played a holding role before.
In the wake of Monday’s defeat, the City manager told his players that they remain the best unit in the country. But Zabaleta said: ‘We need to see mistakes we made and try to not do them again. We missed some important players.’
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