When Pep Guardiola decided to take on the Manchester City job this summer, he probably didn't expect to be managing in the Europa League next season.
He might not end up doing so, but there is a real danger that the club could miss out on Champions League football should Manchester United get the required results to pip them to a Top Four place.
With a limp exit from the Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid last week, there is a growing belief that Guardiola has a monumental task on his hand to rebuild the team and mould it in his image.
The Independent chief football correspondent Mark Ogden believes a huge number of players in decline will have to be sold.
"But he's not going to get rid of 10 or so players because he can't replace those in one summer. We're all told that Pep Guardiola is the best coach in the world but maybe this is when he proves it. At Barcelona he inherited a team with Lionel Messi, at Bayern Munich he inherited a great team and now he's Man City manager with a rebuilding job in front of him," he said, although he feels City have the spending power to cushion any issues when it comes to the transfer market.
However, if they miss out on Champions League football, the question would be if the Pep effect could attract the biggest names to the club this summer.
Ogden also believes outgoing City manager Manuel Pellegrini is not particularly popular with the fanbase, although he is respected for his gentlemanly way.
"I'm not sure he's popular with the fans. Pellegrini's kind of a grey man with a grey approach and I think the fans are apathetic towards him. They don't dislike him but they don't have any affection for him," he said, while then going on to discuss the Chilean's overall City legacy.
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