One of the reasons why Pep Guardiola talking up the appeal of Barcelona for Bernardo Silva felt disappointing was because it diluted the strength of the message Manchester City had been giving off in the Catalan capital all week.
It feels like a long time since February 2020 when a furious Guardiola used the press conference when City had been (temporarily) banned from the Champions League by UEFA to warn with a snarl that Barcelona should 'not talk too loud' after they had applauded the decision.
If it came across as a staunch defence of his current employers, it was also evidence that the City manager is and always will be a Blaugrana at heart.
Just as he was angry then with the way the club was being (mis)managed, since the re-election of Joan Laporta as president the bonds have been re-strengthened and Guardiola is once again a happy socio believing again in the mes que un club mythology.