Manchester City’s shocking decline and fall was confirmed by their own travelling supporters suffering on the top tier of the Bernabeu as they were being ruthlessly put to the sword by Real Madrid.
The giant clock inside this magnificent arena was on 80 minutes when Mateo Kovacic lined up a tame shot that flew straight at Real keeper Thibaut Courtois, who was probably grateful for the exercise.
City were trailing 3-0, a scoreline that flattered them, so the hardy band of followers decided irony was the best medicine for the torture of watching their once all-conquering side, breaking out into rapturous cheering and applause.
Moments later, with City achieving the rare feat of stringing several passes together, chants of “Ole” came from the travelling support.
This summed up a pitiful, desperate night for manager Pep Guardiola, as they subsided in the most timid fashion, a sense of inevitability draped over the Bernabeu from the moment Kylian Mbappe scored the first goal of a brilliant hat-trick after only four minutes.
Losing to Real Madrid is an occupational hazard of the Champions League. Losing to Real Madrid by barely laying a glove on them is a sign of Manchester City’s steep downward curve this season.
The credits were rolling, and not just on their Champions League campaign, as they failed to reach the last 16 for the first time since they failed to get past the group stage in 2012-13.
They are surely rolling, too, on a great team in need of major renovation.
In the most palatial surroundings of this rebuilt stadium, this had the look and feel of the end of an era.
Guardiola almost seemed to accept this was the case as he stated in the aftermath: “Nothing is eternal.”
He said: “The best team won. They deserved it. This is the benchmark. We have to accept it and move forward.
“In previous seasons when we were better, it hurt more. We have to accept it and the reality of our team.”
Asked whether a rebuild is needed, he said: “We have time. We have 13 games left in the Premier League to get into this competition next season.”
City’s need for a changing of the guard was made to look even more stark by the ease in which they were dismissed by Real Madrid, yes the holders and the superpower of the Champions League, but also a side they have consistently pushed in matches almost too close to call over several years.
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