By late July, Manchester City began their trip to Asia, planning to play friendlies in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore, spending an average of three days in each location.
Although they had lost several key players over the summer, some indispensable players remained, such as Ronaldo. Adding to the excitement was the recently transferred Dejan Stanković—fans were curious about him, as he was, until now, the only player to have been signed by Manchester City.
Upon landing at Narita International Airport, the enthusiasm of the city ignited; the streets were packed, leaving the European players, many of whom had never visited Asia, in awe. "These Japanese fans are crazy!" they thought.
