Pep Guardiola walked into the dressing room at just gone 10pm on Tuesday and thought the atmosphere felt too flat for his liking.
Manchester City had qualified for the Champions League knockout stages again and his players wore a collective shrug. Young Boys had been despatched comfortably, making it four wins from four. Routine.
‘Please, celebrate,’ Guardiola told the squad. ‘Because one day, maybe we are not there if we stop doing what we have to do.’
Although this year’s group has been easier to motivate than in previous seasons, Guardiola’s speech is more evidence, if it were required, that he refuses to take anything for granted.