Worst Manchester United team in history?
No sooner had Ruben Amorim claimed the dubious honour for his current side than neighbours City hit a spectacular low of their own.
Of course, the Blues have been a lot worse than this, dropping into the English Leagues third tier in 1998.
But still a pitiful surrender to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on a chastening Champions League night will go down as a low of historic significance.
It could also be potentially the most serious of their recent debacles.
Just when it seemed their tailspin had slowed and help was at hand, they collapsed again.
And in even more spectacular fashion than against Feyenoord or Sporting or Manchester United and in a more important game.
With one game to go, City are below the waterline or, as they call it, in the elimination group of this new 36-club format.
They must beat Club Bruges, who are on dry land at 20th, next week at The Etihad to survive.
For a side that was among the three favourites when it began and were champions two years ago, this is humiliating enough.
But even if they win, theyll be among the unseeded playoff hopefuls facing the more highly placed seeded teams in the next round.
It was not meant to be like this in a competition that Citys Abu Dhabi owners, and Pep Guardiola, value more than any other.
Still facing a possible fine and a points deduction if found guilty of cooking the books, the riches of the knockout stage will be more prized than usual.
But its the way the game unfolded that is most troubling.
Since they fell off a cliff in November, City have acquired the knack of surrendering leads and conceding goals in alarming bunches.
They took the lead against Sporting before conceding three in eight minutes in a 4-1 defeat.
Then the pain came in pairs, one after another like an assassins bullets.
It was two in five minutes against Brighton, two in seven against Tottenham and two in two minutes against Manchester United.
There were another two in eight minutes against Brentford.
Until Wednesday, the worst were the three in 15 minutes for a 3-3 draw against Feyenoord that felt like a defeat. That was when Pep self-harmed in frustration.
But on a horrible winters night in the French capital, the collapse surpassed even that and chilled Pep to the bone.
After taking a two-goal lead, they conceded two goals in four minutes against PSG, and four in all.
It was an epic capitulation and a 4-2 defeat that could have been a lot more.
Goals of such devastating frequency cannot be coincidental. Not across seven matches.
It can only indicate a mental weakness, one of fear and dread of the inevitable once the first goes in. In other words, a defence with the strength and resistance of tiramisu.
Theres some mitigation in terms of injuries: Ruben Dias went off at halftime and didnt feel well enough to return.
John Stones had played just 57 minutes in two months.
Kyle Walker was on his way to Milan, the first to jump this listing ship.
Kevin de Bruyne seemed to visibly age during an unusually ineffectual game, and was mercifully spared the final agonies. Bernardo Silva wasnt and was nutmegged.
Ilkay Gundogan hardly had a kick in a late cameo. All three boast copper-bottomed City legend status but suddenly look past it.
Losing to PSG is one thing; getting bullied by them is like being mauled by your daughters guinea pig.
But Pep admitted: We suffered physically. In the big stages, against the big teams, we struggle.
He added: They were better, more aggressive and had more intensity. We have to accept it.
This is PSG, for Gods sake, the most spineless team in Europe, who have the patent on ways to crash out of the Champions League.
They have been ridiculed for their inventiveness when it comes to self-destructing in the later stages.
Own goals, red cards, missed sitters all are in their locker just in case they ever get in front and need something.
Even with Lionel Messi in their ranks, they couldnt win. Theyve lost in the final, semi-final and four times in six seasons in the Round of 16.
This is still the group stage of a new format but they seemed to have handed the manual to City.
The Blues havent yet crashed out, but are clinging on by Peps chewed fingernails.
They have now lost eight points from winning positions in the Champions League and 14 in the Premier League.
Perhaps as astounding as losing the physical battle to a youthful PSG side, no longer littered with stellar names, was that City couldnt get the ball.
Were accustomed to Peps teams monopolising possession, where 70% is the minimum even in close games. Its been pushing 80% when theyve been really on song.
But this week it was 37% a record low under Pep and that flattered them.
What we are also seeing is that possession was their best defender.
When you have the ball, the other team cant score was an ancient truism long before the great man turned passing into a high-tempo ballet.
And injuries to defenders, and of course, midfield linchpin Rodri, has been compounded by a sudden inability to keep the ball.
Besides the battle they have in Europe, City have a right old scrap to finish in the top four of the EPL to qualify for the Champions League next season.
But reinforcements are arriving. Two young defenders and a striker are poised to join. They may well be pressed into service before the month is out.
Nor can it have escaped notice that the two-goal hero of Atletico Madrids win was Julian Alvarez, whom City offloaded last summer.
So just when some thought that they might have even rediscovered their mojo, theyre in need of a major overhaul.
Worst City side? They looked broken at the end. Probably the worst under Pep.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.