The Manchester City team is currently facing a challenging period in the 2024-2025 season, suffering their third consecutive defeat in official competitions, a streak not seen at the club in six years. The latest setback, a heavy 4-1 loss to Sporting Lisbon in the UEFA Champions League, has tested both the mental and tactical resilience of Pep Guardiola's squad.

This unexpected defeat against the Portuguese side adds to previous losses to high-caliber teams, leaving City supporters concerned about the team's direction in crucial competitions like the Champions League. The defeat to Sporting not only marked a blow to their points tally but also set a negative milestone in the club's recent history, as Sporting joins an exclusive list of teams to have scored four goals against Manchester City in Guardiola's European era.

Sporting thus becomes the third team to secure such a dominant victory over a Guardiola-led team in the Champions League, following Real Madrid in 2014 and Barcelona in 2016. Both of those encounters are remembered as some of the most painful moments for Guardiola in Europe, and now the Spanish coach must find quick solutions to prevent this latest defeat from becoming a full-blown crisis.

In the current context, Manchester City faces the task of regrouping both in the Premier League and the Champions League. The consecutive losses have exposed defensive vulnerabilities and a lack of attacking sharpness, raising doubts about the team's ability to achieve their goals this season.

Guardiola's challenge will be to help his team regain the balance and confidence needed to return to their dominant form. With tough opponents on the horizon and growing pressure on the manager, City's upcoming matches will be crucial to determine whether they can overcome this difficult phase and get back on track to victory.