Fifty-seven days after they lifted the Champions League trophy on that historic night in Istanbul, Manchester City returned to action.
New season, new beginnings, new faces. Some things will take getting used to, such as Bernardo Silva’s new – and severe – haircut.
Another is that the man running around with the No 8 on his back is no longer Ilkay Gundogan.
Gundogan, the captain last season, became synonymous with the shirt during his seven years at the club and spoke of the pride he felt at wearing the number of the City legend Colin Bell.
Gundogan, who left for Barcelona on a free transfer, is in many ways irreplaceable. There were so many facets to his game. His composure and skill levels were comparable