Barcelona battering could make Pellegrini prime pick for sack
Published:
Manuel Pellegrini does not look like Colin Farrell and may not even know who Colin Farrell is but that does not stop him being a Premier League approximation of the Irish actor’s character from 2013 crime thriller Dead Man Down.
Like Farrell’s Lazlow Kerrick, the Chilean seemingly has little left to live for – in football terms that is – with Manchester City out of the title race and heading out of Europe.
Worse still, he’s set to face Luis Enrique – cast in Terrance Howard’s role as gangster kingpin Alphonse Hoyt for this rather laboured comparison – and his gang of cut-throat continental football stars.
Already behind after a 2-1 defeat to the Catalans on their own Etihad turf, Pellegrini, like Farrell’s Kerrick, is unlikely to come out of this one unscathed.
Currently the third favourite in the next Premier League manager to leave his post with Ladbrokes, at odds of 6/1, a hammering at the hands of Barcelona is likely to leave Pellegrini as a Dead Man Down indeed.
Barca have tasted defeat in just one of their last 30 games at the Camp Nou and City need to score at least two to progress anyway.
As with Farrell and his battle with Howard’s Hoyt, City also find themselves significantly outgunned.
The Sky Blues have managed to score more than once in just one of their last four games going into this encounter with several of their key hitmen having a rough time of things lately.
Wilfried Bony has so far failed to translate his Swansea form into City goals while Sergio Aguero has gone three games without finding the net.
Luis Enrique can meanwhile call on the prolific trio of Luis Suarez, Neymar and Lionel Messi – three Hollywood A-listers in the competition – to score at leisure.
Lose heavily to Barca and City’s entire season could go down as one to forget in much the same way as Roberto Mancini’s ill-fated final campaign in 2013 was.
With the Catalans in a commanding position already, Manchester City fans may be better served by switching the game off and watching a movie.
We know one to recommend…
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
Fancy a flutter? Sign up today to claim up to £25 in free bets.
