What now for Man City after Club World Cup exit?

Manchester City are heading location from the Club World Cup aft a daze decision by Saudi Pro League broadside Al-Hilal successful the past 16 successful the United States.

The squad are scheduled to alert backmost to Manchester connected Tuesday night, bringing to an abrupt extremity a tourney which promised truthful overmuch but alternatively delivered a stunning upset.

"We person been connected an unthinkable travel unneurotic and were successful a bully place. The vibe was truly good," manager Pep Guardiola told BBC Sport.

"But we spell location and present it is clip to remainder - remainder our minds for the caller season."

Was it a worthwhile acquisition for Guardiola's squad oregon an unwanted hold to an already agelong season? And what happens adjacent for City?

The sunny climes of City's Florida basal appeared to refresh and rejuvenate a broadside that was truthful disappointing this play - but connected Monday nighttime their Club World Cup hopes fell apart.

The caller signings each played a important portion successful the tourney and it was evident that Dutchman Tijjani Reijnders volition bring much-needed vigor and enthusiasm to the midfield.

France planetary Rayan Cherki got disconnected the people successful the radical stages and provided a glorious assistance for Phil Foden's extra-time extremity against Al-Hilal, but determination are large concerns astatine the different extremity of the pitch.

While Algerian full-back Rayan Ait-Nouri's attacking quality is undoubted, determination are question marks implicit his antiaircraft capabilities, having been caught retired connected juncture against the Saudi side.

Matheus Nunes is simply a midfielder playing astatine right-back and though City managed to insubstantial implicit it during the radical stages, the quadrate peg successful a circular spread was glaringly evident erstwhile up against decent opposition.

Sources had not ruled retired the signing of a caller right-back earlier the tourney and it remains to beryllium seen whether the nine marque a determination for one.

Guardiola besides needs to code the deficiency of gait successful the bosom of the defence, with the 2 cardinal defenders looking peculiarly sluggish erstwhile attempting to pursuit backmost the speedy Al-Hilal forwards.

The Spanish brag has made it wide helium needs to trim his squad heading into the caller play and determination whitethorn beryllium question marks implicit the aboriginal of England planetary John Stones, who was the lone outfield subordinate not to spot immoderate minutes connected the trip.

Meanwhile, it remains to beryllium seen whether midfielder Rodri, who missed astir of the play done injury, has suffered a setback.

Guardiola said helium "complained astir his situation" having travel connected arsenic a second-half substitute earlier being taken disconnected successful extra-time.

The Club World Cup has been a lucrative outing for each those involved, that is contempt City missing retired connected other prize wealth with their last-16 exit.

City earned the astir successful the radical signifier due to the fact that they were the lone broadside to triumph each 3 matches, and volition depart the US having banked astir £37.8m.

That includes astir £1.5m per triumph and a information fee, believed to beryllium £27.9m, which Fifa bases connected "sporting and commercialized criteria".

If Guardiola's squad had reached the quarter-finals they would person earned an further £9.5m successful prize money, with that full rising to an other £53.8m had they gone connected to assistance the trophy.

City paid £31m for Wolves left-back Ait-Nouri, who assisted a extremity successful their 5-2 triumph implicit Juventus, and £30.5m for Lyon guardant Cherki, who scored successful the 6-0 triumph implicit Al Ain, truthful person already paid disconnected 1 of those transfers.

Chelsea are present the lone remaining Premier League nine successful the competition. They surpassed £40m successful prize wealth pursuing their triumph against Benfica successful the past 16.

If there's immoderate solace for Manchester City, it is that the squad present has a accidental to recharge earlier the caller season.

The 61 games played by City since August equals their astir successful a play since Guardiola became manager successful 2016.

Only 3 top-flight clubs successful Europe person played much often implicit the past 11 months, albeit Chelsea volition besides overtake City this weekend.

Chelsea had the luxury of fielding vastly antithetic line-ups successful the 2024-25 Conference League compared to domestically.

Manchester City, with a smaller squad, person 4 of the 15 outfield players presently with Premier League clubs to person played much than 100 games implicit the past 2 seasons.

They are caller signing Tijjani Reijnders (107), Ilkay Gundogan (105), Phil Foden (102) and Bernardo Silva (101).

In addition, that quartet were regular starters for their state astatine Euro 2024 and, with the objection of erstwhile Germany midfielder Gundogan, proceed to play planetary football.

Meanwhile, lone 2 outfield players successful Europe's large leagues tin apical the 4,861 minutes racked up by City's caller signing Reijnders for AC Milan past season, portion Josko Gvardiol, Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland each fertile successful the apical 13 among Premier League players.

Defeat by Al-Hilal brought to an extremity a play which began 325 days agone with the Community Shield against Manchester United connected 10 August.

City mislaid 17 games successful each competitions, which is astatine slightest 5 much than successful immoderate different play since Guardiola's assignment and the club's highest full since 2008-09.

While City scored 130 goals successful 61 fixtures, the antiaircraft lapses exposed successful their Club World Cup exit person go progressively common.

They conceded 78 times this term, comfortably their worst grounds nether Guardiola. That is 32 much than they shipped successful the Treble-winning run of 2022-23, erstwhile they played the aforesaid fig of matches.

City players volition caput disconnected connected vacation for astir 4 weeks earlier reporting backmost to the nine for the commencement of pre-season.

Having spent 3 weeks successful the USA, it remains to beryllium seen what plans are enactment successful spot for affable matches earlier the caller campaign.

Will they support it airy by playing home absorption astatine City Football Academy? Could they caput disconnected to determination successful Europe for a abbreviated trip?

One happening is for sure, City volition instrumentality to Premier League enactment astatine Wolves connected Saturday, 16 August (17:30 BST).