Those who have worked alongside Pep Guardiola describe him as a lion inside Manchester City’s dressing room. Roaring, prowling.
The circular enclosure certainly gives an orator room to stalk and Guardiola’s players have nowhere to fix their gaze but on their demanding manager.
He thrives on nights like this. The big ones, even if we’re only in February and entering a Champions League play-off round that didn’t exist last season. Short, sharp messages focused on a theme before City go out on the grandest stages.
City’s squad have heard them all over the last nine seasons.