For Manchester City fans, this week’s three huge games have been the most disappointing trilogy since the Hobbit films. Now they can only hope that the final part is more Return of the King than Battle of the Five Armies.
Pep Guardiola is the director for City, and must orchestrate one of the great European comebacks if his side are to progress in the Champions League.
City take on Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night in the second leg of their Champions League quarter final, having lost the first match 3-0 at Anfield.
Pep Guardiola debates with his Manchester City staff as they prepare to face Liverpool
Guardiola was in animated discussions with the coaches during Monday’s training session
Guardiola shares a joke with fitness coach Lorenzo Buenaventura during training on Monday
The two legs sandwich Saturday’s 3-2 Premier League defeat at home to rivals Manchester United. City led 2-0 at half time in a game where they would have clinched the title had they won.
Now Guardiola must pick up his players from that disappointment, and was seen deep in conversation with his coaching staff as he plans how to take on Jurgen Klopp’s men.
The expressive Catalan was seen raising his arms, gesturing and holding court with his assistants as his players trained on Monday at the Etihad Campus – their first session since the United loss.
He had what looked to be a full squad available to him, including Sergio Aguero, who was fit and running after being the victim of Ashley Young’s appalling challenge on Saturday – which escaped unpunished.
Sergio Aguero was fit and running after recovering from Ashley Young’s horrific challenge
City have suffered two disappointing defeats this week, to Liverpool and Manchester United
They must recover in time to overturn a 3-0 first leg loss at Anfield in Tuesday’s second game
The likes of Raheem Sterling and Vincent Kompany, who played on Saturday, were also training, and it remains to be seen whether Guardiola will named those who featured against United or if he makes changes on account of the three day gap between fixtures.
City’s stars were looking to put that nightmare behind them in order to try and reignite their European aspirations, as they arrived for training on Monday.
Although they are focused on Liverpool, Kevin De Bruyne and Ederson were among the players to stop to give fans waiting at the gates autographs and selfies.
There were plenty of youngsters currently on their Easter school holidays waiting for their heroes, some chasing the car of Bernardo Silva down the street as he drove past.
Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure, David Silva and Nicolas Otamendi go through their drills
Kyle Walker and Raheem Sterling speak with assistant manager Brian Kidd during training
City must respond after they blew the chance to win the Premier League against their rivals
While their arrival at training was disrupted by nothing more than some keen autograph hunters, City were given a much less friendly welcome to Anfield last Wednesday.
Bottles, flares and other missiles were thrown at the City bus by crowds gathered on the Liverpool streets. In his pre-match press conference, Guardiola urged police not to let the same happen again in Manchester.
He said: ‘Since I am here it has never happened. Opponents arrive in the right way, you don’t need to ask me. You knew it before Liverpool and it happened. Where were the police? Tomorrow the police know what they have to do.
‘I wish they will come and see a football game. Come here and support us. They know anything can happen. They can applaud, boo, whatever.’
Goalkeeper Ederson signs an autograph for a young fan through the window of his sports car
Midfielder Kevin De Bruyne also stopped for the supporters before arriving at training
Young supporters on their Easter holidays chase Bernardo Silva’s car for an autograph