Manchester City

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Manchester City (曼城)
Alias(es)	Manchester City Mad Shark era; “the strongest in England, the strongest in the world” 212 292
Affiliation	Owned by Mansour; managed by Klopp during the club’s transformation and first UEFA Champions League triumph 211 213 301
Occupation/Role	English professional football club competing in the Premier League, domestic cups, and UEFA Champions League 217 244 294
Status	Active; reigning UEFA Champions League winner and later entrant into the Messi–Su Bai era 301 302
First Appearance	Chapter 110

Background / History

Mansour acquired Manchester City in 2008 and invested billions into the club. While the investment brought the club its first Premier League title, Mansour’s stated ambition was to turn City into a European dynasty comparable to Real Madrid and Barcelona; for him, the UEFA Champions League was the essential threshold. 139

Before Su Bai’s arrival, City possessed major names including Sergio Agüero, David Silva, Yaya Touré, Vincent Kompany, and Joe Hart, but lacked the cohesion and European fearlessness Mansour sought. Watching Borussia Dortmund’s intensity and Su Bai’s performances, Mansour began considering both Su Bai and Klopp as the foundations of a new City. 144 212

City completed Su Bai’s signing after his Borussia Dortmund contract termination, publicly unveiling him in the number 10 shirt. The transfer was framed as a turning point for the club and prompted the immediate printing of 100,000 additional Su Bai shirts. 211 212

Klopp Rebuild

Klopp inherited a bloated squad with poor fitness among many substitutes and immediately imposed a strict, form-based competitive structure. His early assessment was that at least half of the reserve players needed to be moved on. 213 215

Tactical System

Period	Setup	Key features
Pre-season	4-4-1-1 / 4-5-1 / 4-4-2	Su Bai led the line while Agüero operated behind him as a transitional forward and playmaker; the shape changed according to possession. 215
Early season	Midfield-less attacking system	Used as a high-risk tactical weapon against stronger opponents, including Liverpool and Roma. 244 265
After winter recruitment	Defensive counterattacking system	Kanté shielded the back line and enabled De Bruyne’s passing, resolving City’s disconnected midfield and improving transitions. 268

Recruitment

• Su Bai — Signed from Borussia Dortmund and given the number 10 shirt; became the focal point of the rebuild. 211 212
• Son Heung-min — Signed for €21 million after a personal request and encouragement from Su Bai. 215
• Sadio Mané — Joined alongside Son; initially viewed as an understated signing with exceptional acceleration. 216
• Kevin De Bruyne — Signed to provide elite long-range passing and become City’s attacking midfield creator. 266 268
• N’Golo Kanté — Signed from Leicester City for £50 million; his defensive coverage made De Bruyne’s deployment viable. 266 268
• Marvin — Signed alongside De Bruyne and used prominently on the right wing; ineligible for further Champions League participation after appearing for Borussia Dortmund. 266 273

Key Personnel

• Mansour — Owner and principal financial backer; personally welcomed Su Bai to Manchester, funded major transfers, and later gifted shares in the club to Su Bai and Messi. 211 311
• Klopp — Manager who rebuilt the side around intense pressing, tactical flexibility, and Su Bai’s attacking strengths. 213 268 301
• Su Bai — Number 10 and central attacking force; his arrival transformed the club’s stature, commercial appeal, and on-pitch ceiling. 212 258
• Sergio Agüero — Repositioned from primary scorer to a shadow striker, link-up player, and playmaking partner for Su Bai. 213 215
• Lionel Messi — Joined after City’s first UEFA Champions League victory, forming the “MS” partnership with Su Bai. 302 304
• Vincent Kompany — Captain who lifted City’s first UEFA Champions League trophy alongside Su Bai. 301
• Joe Hart — First-choice goalkeeper and a central figure within the squad’s social core. 212 215
• David Silva — Creative midfielder and key early starter; assisted Su Bai’s 13-second goal against CSKA Moscow. 244
• Kevin De Bruyne — Playmaker whose counterattacking distribution became crucial after City’s midfield overhaul. 268
• N’Golo Kanté — Defensive midfielder whose interceptions and coverage strengthened City’s central structure. 268

Story Role / Major Arcs

Su Bai signing and early instability

Manchester City unveiled Su Bai as its new number 10 and began its rebuild under Klopp. Despite a dominant 4–0 league-opening victory over Newcastle, in which Su Bai recorded a hat-trick and an assist, City’s defensive and structural problems remained visible. 212 219 222

Early analysis identified a dependence on Su Bai: the defense, midfield, and attack were disconnected, while Agüero was the only player consistently combining with him. Liverpool exposed these issues in their first major meeting, though City ultimately won 6–2 at Anfield through Su Bai’s four goals and two assists. 234 237 240

Transformation into a complete side

The arrivals of Kanté, De Bruyne, and Marvin changed City’s balance. Kanté’s defensive work and De Bruyne’s passing immediately combined in a counterattacking goal against Chelsea, signaling Klopp’s successful reconstruction of the side. 266 268

City subsequently became a dominant force in England. It defeated Chelsea 7–0 at Stamford Bridge, with Su Bai scoring all seven goals, and continued producing emphatic league and European victories. 272 283

Manchester Derby and Premier League title

City entered the title-deciding Manchester Derby seeking to make Manchester “blue” and end the historical shadow of Manchester United. 292

The team overwhelmed United 7–0, scoring four goals in the opening seven minutes. Su Bai scored five times, while Marvin contributed a goal and assists, and City secured the Premier League title. 293

First UEFA Champions League title

City entered the UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid under a closed training camp ordered by Klopp. The final represented a century-long dream for the club and its supporters. 296 301

Manchester City won 5–4. Su Bai scored five goals, a record in a Champions League final, and lifted the trophy alongside Kompany as City became European champions for the first time. 301

Messi transfer and the MS era

Immediately after the Champions League celebration, Manchester City officially announced Messi’s transfer from Barcelona. The signing followed City’s record €200 million offer and created worldwide attention around a potential Messi–Su Bai–Agüero attack. 296 302

Messi made his City debut during the club’s China tour. His combination play with Su Bai drew worldwide acclaim, with their partnership compared to Messi’s former connection with Xavi. 303 304

Honours

Competition	Achievement	Notes
Premier League	Champions	Clinched through a 7–0 Manchester Derby win. 292 293
EFL Cup	Champions	Defeated Tottenham Hotspur 9–0; Su Bai scored twice and earned MVP. 294
UEFA Champions League	Champions	Defeated Real Madrid 5–4 for the club’s first title. 301
FA Community Shield	Champions	Defeated Liverpool 7–2, with Messi and Su Bai combining prominently. 308 310
Multiple competitions	Sextuple	Achieved an unprecedented six-crown season in the first year of the Messi–Su Bai era. 311

Club Identity

• City’s supporters adopted Su Bai as the “Manchester City Great White Shark,” displaying a shark-and-Big-Eared-Cup banner in the North Stand after his signing. 212
• Mansour installed a solid-gold replica of Su Bai’s Ballon d’Or at Etihad Stadium to strengthen the player’s sense of belonging to the club. 258 259
• After the Champions League victory, more than 30,000 City supporters stormed the Olympic Stadium pitch in celebration. 301
• Mansour awarded Su Bai and Messi 20% of Manchester City’s shares, making both players club owners. 311