Cast your mind back to April of this year. The country (and most of the world) was in some form of lockdown due to COVID-19 concerns.
Many football fans felt as if the sport offered the only element of normality and provided much-needed escapism. At that very moment, the game reared its ugly and dark side with the announcement of the European Super League.
The footballing world came together and expressed resentment towards the proposal, which would’ve seen the face of the elite game changed forever.
One man who had a significant part in bringing down the ESL house of cards was Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola.
Pep not always seemed in tune with fan sentiment. Take his comments about empty seats at this season's Champions League game against RB Leipzig as the most recent example.
But in the midst of the European Super League debacle, Guardiola voiced an opinion that resonated with not just City fans, but supporters everywhere.
On Tuesday's Facebook Live, City is Ours editor Dom Farrell was accompanied by the MEN’s own Simon Bajkowski as they discussed what Guardiola is like during press conferences, including that famous moment when he spoke out on the doomed breakaway proposals.
DF: “Those crazy days in April... it was fascinating because when he said something along the lines of ‘it’s not sport’ [without promotion and relegation], it felt like a really key moment in the battle against the threat.
"Within 24 hours it collapsed in Florentino Perez’s absurdity, but at that moment Pep played an important hand.”
SB: “It was interesting because he didn’t actually fully go against the Super League, instead he alluded to the fact taking out relegation would make it not sport.
"It was hugely significant at the time. Jurgen Klopp had spoken beforehand and said something along the lines of he didn't like it and that was it.
"You saw people say what a great champion Klopp is, claiming nobody would say more than that. Then Pep came out and absolutely killed it.
“It was important because I don’t think he’s always been seen to be on the side of City fans. But I don’t think there was any doubt that Ferran Soriano was hugely in favour of the Super League, so this was Pep going against a friend, colleague and boss really.
“It was a huge moment where you have one of the leading coaches in the world simply saying this isn’t good enough, we need to do better.”
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