The following days passed in a light-hearted atmosphere, with the Manchester City players enjoying their downtime.
Richard wasted no time in holding meetings to completely revise the pre-season schedule, following the cancellation of the friendlies against Monaco and Deportivo La Coruña.
When Celtic visited Maine Road for the first pre-season match, O'Neill opted to bench the players who had recently competed in the Copa América. Instead, he fielded a vibrant, energetic lineup filled with fresh legs and young talent.
He carried this strategy into the matches against Sunderland and Everton, prioritizing rest and recovery for his star players while giving others valuable minutes on the pitch.
