Ruben Amorim was Europe’s bright young thing the last time Manchester City tasted victory on the continent. It really was that long ago. Feels like a lifetime.
A full year, approaching 13 months. Pep Guardiola went on to take a beating from Amorim’s Sporting in Lisbon, City battered 4-1, to start a humbling run of four straight Champions League away defeats. To put the drop-off into context, they had been unbeaten in 11 away ties before that night in the Portuguese capital and had lost just four since 2019.
Some ventured Amorim had schooled the old master and that Manchester’s dynamic was going to alter drastically.