The circus came to town with a ringmaster who Manchester City really rather fancied themselves and always seemed destined to park the wagon here.
There were children wearing Paris Saint-Germain shirts bearing his name in the home stands.
A gaggle of selfie hunters had congregated around the Lowry Hotel earlier in the evening to catch a glimpse as he strode onto the bus..
The half-and-half scarves sellers, flogging merchandise with his face on the material, did a roaring trade.
But, most pointedly of all, and the City bean counters will agree, were the hordes of fans outside the Etihad, an hour before kick-off, who did not quite know where they were going.