City behaved much like other top clubs but their rule-breaking deserves to be punished. The Bundesliga, where members have a controlling stake, can show the way forward

Do we have to reassess Manchester City now? In my columns, I have repeatedly engaged with this club and its key figures. Looking back at what I have written over the years, I believe it remains beyond question that the team have achieved greatness. I always loved watching them: they were a true unit on the pitch, a finely tuned orchestra.

I would also write all over again that the conductor, Pep Guardiola, masters his craft like few others. I could recognise his teams even if they were wearing the wrong shirts and the game was broadcast in black and white – by the passes, the distances between the players and the intelligence of their interplay. It is no wonder Guardiola inspires others to become managers; look at Vincent Kompany, Mikel Arteta, Enzo Maresca, and perhaps some time Ilkay Gündogan and Rodri.

‘Miro’, now in charge at Nürnberg, knows the value of consistency and identity in an era of tinkering coaches who did not play professionally

You learn the most from the best. The Champions League winners are Paris Saint-Germain, and they could achieve a historic hat-trick this season. Since the tournament’s rebrand in 1992, they would be only the second club to accomplish this feat, after Real Madrid’s run from 2016 to 2018.

I see clear parallels between the two. For Madrid, nine players started in all three of their final victories. Similarly, PSG won their two finals with virtually identical lineups. The only change came during their title defence in Budapest, where Gianluigi Donnarumma no longer featured in goal, Luis Enrique having parted ways with the Italian European champion.

core players: about 70 to 85% each

remaining regular starters: 50 to 60% each

squad players: 40 to 45% each

fringe squad places: sharing the remaining maximum of 20%

Great brought an ideology to Barcelona that Guardiola and Emery refined, defining the playing style of the national team

Two countries are generating powerful, cross-border momentum in football. Spain represent the leading footballing culture, radiating their influence across the globe. Argentina possess a distinct identity that shapes the South American continent. Consequently, the World Cup is witnessing the perfect final.

The architect of Spain’s vision is Johan Cruyff. He brought the 4-3-3 formation and a specific ideology to Barcelona. A cadre of tactical purists, such as Pep Guardiola and Unai Emery, refined his approach into a philosophy that has defined the playing style of the entire league, all youth squads and the national team for nearly two decades. Its principles include ball-oriented defending, clearly defined positions and roles, a high level of organisation, and technical, combination-based football. Eleven players operate as a unit, moving like a swarm.

Germany’s third early World Cup exit in a row is not down to a lack of talent or the name of the coach, but not knowing how they want to play

I am stunned. Germany have been eliminated early from a World Cup for the third time in a row. I need time to recover from this. The key word that needs to be discussed is continuity – something the national team have lacked for a decade. German football hasn’t decided how it wants to play. There are constantly new ideas, and time and again new players in new positions. Julian Nagelsmann has experimented too much, and not just during this tournament. Yet developing a team takes years.

Germany have always been successful when player roles were clearly defined, the hierarchy was established and the team had a clear concept of how to attack and defend. That conviction was completely missing. At this World Cup, the team didn’t look as if they had gone through the process that every team must undergo.

Major tournaments bring people together and Scotland’s welcome presence adds to the case for a 48-team event

I could watch videos of the Scots online for hours. Wearing kilts, they marched through Boston playing bagpipes. In the stadium, the Tartan Army roared their team to victory against Haiti, their first World Cup win in 36 years.

Afterwards they went to a baseball game and, singing and wearing knee-length red socks, turned a Boston Red Sox home game into part of the World Cup – and one of its highlights, too. In the stadium they had the rules of this sport, which we Europeans find difficult to understand, explained to them.

Hungary’s rich footballing heritage is unlikely to make an impact on Europe’s premier club competition as clubs from small countries stand no chance

Before the Champions League final, I want to spare a thought for one of the eliminated semi-finalists. Diego Simeone impresses me. For 15 years, he has had to push the boulder up the mountain again and again with Atlético Madrid. We at Bayern Munich were knocked out by him during our peak phase in 2016. Now I read somewhere that Simeone should question himself. Yet he asserts himself time and again with inferior means. It is a pity, Sisyphus Simeone has long deserved a Champions League title.

Two other clubs remain whose coaches take a similar approach. Resembling conductors, they pedantically practise distances, sequences, passes, choreograph their defence and orchestrate their attack. Their operating system, ball-oriented zonal marking, is state of the art. Their team behaves like a swarm. Last year, Paris Saint-Germain against Arsenal was the semi-final; this year, they are determining the winner. The right teams are in the final.

Italy have been left behind with man-marking approach, and if Germany go down this path it could happen to them too

In Germany, coaches used to say: “Follow your opponent right into the loo!” That was the call to man-mark. So defenders weren’t meant to think too deeply. This retro tactical approach has been making an unexpected comeback since Atalanta won the Europa League in 2024 using this method.

Against a team with a significantly superior individual quality, you naturally don’t stand a chance with man-marking. Atalanta had to learn that the hard way in the Champions League last 16. Bayern enjoyed absurdly vast spaces and scored 10 goals. Rarely has a knockout-stage match been so one-sided.

Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane’s impact is clear but where the Spanish giants go post-Xabi Alonso only Florentino Pérez knows

All eyes are on Real Madrid again but in a different way than to which the 15-time Champions League winners are accustomed. Every fan expects Real to be among the best eight in Europe but they are in the playoffs for a second season in a row after a 4-2 defeat at Benfica in the final league fixture.

Looking back, Carlo Ancelotti’s impact at Real is even clearer, as is the case with Zinedine Zidane, who won three successive Champions League titles with the club. Why were they suited to this club? Because they themselves once stood on the pitch alongside outstanding footballers. Ancelotti also played under Arrigo Sacchi at Milan while Zidane scored key goals in Champions League and World Cup finals. People with this aura are respected by the best.