Brand new £30m off-pitch deal proves Man City chief’s claim in 2016 was spot on.
Brand new £30m off-pitch deal proves Man City chief’s claim in 2016 was spot on.
A new deal struck by a close Man City ally proves that one influential figure was right about their trajectory way back in 2016.
City Football Group own 12 clubs in five different continents. And while Man City are the mothership, Girona have proven this season that they are a top team in their own right.
The Spanish side, who were acquired by City in 2017, finished 3rd in La Liga in what was comfortably the best season in the club’s history.
But regardless of how that case transpires, Girona have just secured their biggest ever commercial deal hot on the back of their on-pitch success.
Ferran Sorriano was right about City’s growing commercial empire
Girona announced today that Etihad Airways would be their principle sponsor for the next three seasons.
Significantly, Etihad Airways have also been City’s main partner since they were acquired by Abu Dhabi United Group back in 2008.
The new deal, which benchmarking against other La Liga sides in Europe is likely to be worth £30m over the course of the full contract length, validates comments Ferran Sorriano made almost a decade ago.
As quoted by Esade in 2016, the City Football Group CEO said: “The challenge for a global football team is to turn its fans into customers.”
The idea, revolutionary at the time, was to create a network of “local teams grouped under a global brand.”
Girona’s Etihad Airways deal is the ultimate culmination of this strategy, with the firm also sponsoring the City Football Group’s other blue-chip asset in MLS franchise New York City.
What does the future hold for City Football Group?
City have long been the go-to example of how to build a multi-club network, with the approach now copied by dozens of huge investment companies worldwide.
The model is now the most common among Premier League clubs too. Almost half of the teams in the English top flight operate under a multi-club umbrella of some description.
But there is also immense hostility to the system among supporters and, increasingly, regulators.
UEFA are now taking a more hardline approach to multi-club investment, which could be a huge hurdle for City in years to come.
Meanwhile, fans have criticised multi-club ownership as the mothership, Man City in this case, is seen as inherently superior to its sister clubs in terms of the owners’ priorities.
That has led to complaints about clubs losing their unique identities, with owners liable to lose interest or jettison the asset entirely once they stop being economically or commercially viable.
City have diversified across multiple markets and have been enormously successful at leveraging their brand for commercial gain.
But at a time when resistance to multi-club ownership is growing, they must tread the path carefully in order to protect the integrity of the game, the interests of fans, and their own position as leaders in the field.
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🚨 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: Pep Guardiola slams Two city Players After Fa Cup finals defeat to Man United
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Thousands party as Manchester United win FA Cup over Manchester City – best images
Manchester United won the FA Cup final 2-1
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ByMaisie Grice
19:25, 25 MAY 2024
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(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
Manchester United supporters are rejoicing following a 2-1 win against rivals and neighbours Manchester City – but for fans watching the game at FC United it was never in doubt that their team ‘would do them proud’.
Reds from all over Greater Manchester gathered together at the FC United ground in Moston to watch today’s game. Just before kick off flares began to turn the air red and white as the 5,000 fans in attendance waited for the referee’s whistle.
Adrian, match day secretary, of FC United said: “This is the first time we’ve had an event like this. We’ve sold about 5,000 tickets.”
READ MORE: Man left ‘unconscious’ on street as Man Utd and Man City fans clash in violent brawl before FA Cup final
After the Garnacho goal in the 30th minute, the fans erupted into joyous and euphoric chants, screams and applause.
The screams of joy erupted again only nine minutes later when Mainoo, who has been selected for England’s squad prior to the upcoming Euros this June, made it two. The red side of Manchester could barely contain themselves, with flares and flags flying through the air.
However, nerves grew in the second half with City finding their stride after a rough first 45 minutes, with substitution Alvarez and long range shots from Walker putting Manchester United goalkeeper Onana to the ultimate test.
Fans continued to cheer and rally until Jeremy Doku managed to pull one back for the blues in the 81st minute. With seven minutes of added time and the blues piling on the pressure the nerves and tension was palpable with screams of ‘come on!” ringing around the ground.
But by the 96th minute, those watching knew they had done enough and began to storm the pitch, throwing pints, shirts and hats into the air. Together, supporter gathered around the big screen set up by FC United to watch their side clinch the cup and take it back from the blue side of Manchester in the second consecutive Manchester derby FA Cup final after a 142 year wait.
One life long United fan, Sam, said: “I’m buzzing. We needed this, not only to for a bit of a boost after a rough season but to get into Europe. Yeah, I’m happy. Ten Hag has done his job, we’ve won the game and I’ll start the Euros with a smile on my face.”
View some of the best images from FC United’s ground today below.
(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
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(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
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(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
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Manchester City
‘My mistake’ – Pep Guardiola accepts blame after Man City FA Cup final loss to Man Utd
Michael Plant
By Michael Plant
Published 25th May 2024, 17:58 BST
Pep Guardiola took responsibility for Manchester City’s Fa Cup final defeat.
Pep Guardiola took responsibility for Manchester City’s Fa Cup final defeat.
Manchester City surrendered the chance to win back-to-back doubles, when they lost to Manchester United.
Pep Guardiola took responsibility for Manchester City’s FA Cup final defeat against Manchester United.
The Premier League champions came into the game on the back of a unbeaten run of 35 matches, and closed the league season with nine straight wins, but were far from their best at Wembley. City looked disjointed for long periods of the game, particularly in the first half, and lacked an their usual oppressive hold.
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Guardiola made a double change at the break, an indication of how sluggish City were. After the introductions of Manuel Akanji and Jeremy Doku, City were much better. The latter got on the scoresheet, but was enough to overturn United’s first-half strikes from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie.
Speaking after the game, Guardiola said it was his tactical approach that cost the side, not the performance of his players. “I think my game plan was not good,” claimed the Catalan.
“The second half was much much better. We were more intense, in part because we were 2-0 down and had nothing to lose. It was a tight game.
“We gave away the first goal, they made a good transition for the second so credit to United for the second goal. We tried; we had clear chances in the second half which wasn’t easy because they had man marking and defended the pockets. We had the chances and unfortunately we scored a goal a little bit late.
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“Maybe it could have been different but the team was there like all the time when we lose. Disappointed today, it’s normal teams can lose finals but this season has been extraordinary fighting for all the trophies in a good way.
“For my decisions we were not in the right positions to attack them,” he added. “My mistake, my game plan was not good.
“I was not good today,” he added. “You plan a game for different positions but it didn’t work. Even with that, we arrive two or three times in the final third and byline and made nothing from crosses.
HBAgency
HBAgency
“They made one goal from one shot and the goal from Mainoo and no more than that. Always when we play against United, we have the control and we created in the second half but we were not able to do it.”
Related topics:Pep GuardiolaFA Cup
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Photo by Justin Setterfield – The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Chris Sutton says Man City are ‘totally different’ when £55m player is on the pitch
Sat 25 May 2024 19:30
James Thompson
Chris Sutton has said that Manchester City look like a different team when they have one particular player on the pitch.
The Blues ended their season by losing the FA Cup final to Manchester United with a scoreline of 2-1.
At halftime, City were 2-0 down thanks to goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.
Despite getting one goal back in the second half, the Citizens were ultimately denied the chance to win a consecutive domestic double.
During the second half of the game, one pundit made an observation about one particular figure in the City team who grabbed a lot of people’s attention.
Sutton says Jeremy Doku makes City look like a different team
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
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Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live (via BBC Sport), Sutton had this to say about Jeremy Doku and what he did on the pitch in the second half against United.
He said: “They are just a totally different team with Doku in it.
“He’s been such a threat in the second half and a good battle between him and [Aaron] Wan-Bissaka.”
The winger was substituted on at halftime as Pep Guardiola tried to switch things up and see his side come from behind to secure a victory.
Doku made a big impact against United
In the first half, City had 74% possession but racked up fewer shots at goal than the Red Devils (5 vs 3).
Then in the second half, when they had Doku on for Mateo Kovacic, the Blues had 16 attempts at goal compared to United’s six.
In terms of his individual efforts, the Belgian, who City paid £55m to sign last summer, made two key passes and had one shot on target, which ended up being City’s only goal of the game.
While it’s clear that the entire team stepped up their attacking efforts from the first half, Doku undeniably had a big impact and did a lot to help his side turn the scoreline around.
Now that Sutton has highlighted how different City looked when they had the winger on the pitch, this begs the question of why he didn’t start in the first place.
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OPINIONPep Guardiola handed awkward reminder about his Man City future by laughing Man United
Pep Guardiola has accelerated Manchester City’s rise past Manchester United but the FA Cup Final showed they can never take their dominance for granted
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Simon Bajkowski
BySimon BajkowskiChief Manchester City writer
17:18, 25 MAY 2024
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Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, reacts during the Emirates FA Cup Final defeat against Manchester United.
Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, reacts during the Emirates FA Cup Final defeat against Manchester United.
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Manchester City arrived at Wembley to make more history but saw the end of a few eras instead after a drab defeat to Manchester United.
Whether Erik Ten Hag remains at Old Trafford remains to be seen but the Blues and Rodri must start again next season after seeing 35-match and 74-match unbeaten runs respectively ended. On top of English football six days previously celebrating a fourth successive Premier League title, here they were outplayed by a team they had beaten twice and finished 31 points above; to make it worse, it was their neighbours who they have spent the year laughing at.
Pep Guardiola had warned this performance could happen, and singled out Bruno Fernandes before the game as a specific threat for United. Yet in truth nobody saw this coming as United produced a performance they hadn’t done all season to stun the Blues.
ALSO READ: Man City player ratings as Ortega and De Bruyne poor
ALSO READ: Guardiola gives verdict on Ten Hag and United
Kyle Walker had to be alert inside the first ten seconds as United looked to catch City as cold as they had been done on this occasion last season. Marcus Rashford hounded down on goal after a long kick over the top but his England teammate used his exceptional recovery pace to get the Blues out of trouble.
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Still inside the first minute, City went straight up the other end and were furious that a penalty wasn’t given when Lisandro Martinez barged into the back of Erling Haaland. Pep Guardiola, smart in a suit but without the lucky sweatshirt that he never dared go against in the title race, was remonstrating on the touchline as his players queried the decision.
City enjoyed the majority of possession even if they struggled to make further inroads on Andre Onana’s goal in the opening half-hour. United’s threat on the counter remained though, and Stefan Ortega – the hero a few weeks ago at Spurs – had already shown a rashness when he passed the ball to Mateo Kovacic inside the six-yard box when the pass wasn’t on, and then came out almost to the halfway line approach a ball that Walker already had covered.
Moments later, the goalkeeper charged to the edge of his area when he sensed danger but didn’t get there ahead of the leaping Josko Gvardiol and could only watch as the defender headed the ball over them both to give Alejandro Garnacho a simple tap-in. Not for the first time this season, City had given away a soft goal.
The uncertainty among the backline has not been present in recent months though, and with J
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