In a game that featured first searing heat and humidity and then a torrential Florida downpour, goals from Jeremy Doku, a Pierre Kalulu own goal, Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Savinho made it three wins out of the three.
Our reward is a last 16 clash – again at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium in the early hours of next Tuesday – against Al Hilal who finished runners up in Group H.
Delighted as he was with what was a hugely impressive win against the Italian giants, for the boss the way City got the job done gave him even greater satisfaction.
“Today was more or less a final, we talked about that,” Pep stressed.
“It doesn’t matter what happened, the first target was to qualify, but we never know if it’s better to finish first or second. It’s how we play every game, friendly and official game, to win it. Today we did it, that’s what I’m pleased about.
“The players know it was the first time in a long time that we performed the way we performed.
“Today we adjusted a few things and the performance was really good against an incredibly strong team that made an incredible impact in the first two games as well.
“I’m really pleased because the most important thing is the players have to realise what we have to do to back what we were the last decade.
“Last season we had an incredible squad and team but we were injured, 50% of the players. We couldn’t compete and this season we’re going to try to maintain this rhythm as long as possible.
“We were so incredibly aggressive without the ball and with it sometimes we were quicker for the man marking.
“Ederson was an incredible quarterback today, making incredible long balls for Omar and Erling, and especially after we had the patience to make a lot of passes to be calm.
“The important thing today because we’d already qualified, so to go through, you have to beat the best teams, you can face them before or after.
“The most important thing is that we can do it again. I had the feeling the players felt, I don’t have to tell them, they felt we can compete in that way like we have in last decade.
“Last season, it couldn’t happen for one reason, because we had no players. Today we had two incredible central defenders and four on the bench, last year we had one at a time. The best player in the world, all season out.
“That’s why we struggled a lot, we couldn’t train, since day one with Pep (Lijnders) James (French), Kolo (Toure) we made a step up in training. The training session is unbelievable, how we go.
“This is the only way to survive in the Premier League, Europe, in all the competitions.
“One decade, twelve years ago never, in the world you would never imagine City in the Club World Cup. Never.
“We played in the mid table, now since Sheikh Mansour took over the Club, we are facing the elite teams, and it’s an honour.
“We want to stay here longer, because the place we’ve been in Boca Raton is amazing. We want to face every game with this rhythm.
“Fair enough, if we play with that rhythm and win or lose it’s fine, in football you can’t win everything, but we have to refine ourself again.
“We want to win the World Cup but the important thing is to connect ourselves again like we were in last season.”
On a day filled with positives aplenty with Rodri chalking up his first start since last September, it also saw Erling Haaland strike soon after coming on as second half substitute to chalk up his 300th career goal for club and country.
It was just the latest remarkable statistic registered by the Norwegian and one that left his manager purring with satisfaction.
“All I can say is congratulations, scoring 300 goals at 24 years old, this is quite good right?” Pep smiled.
“Hopefully he can do it, this manager now, his manager was an incredible football player. You are too young, you didn’t see me, but I scored 11 in 11 years, imagine that situation!
“I admire a lot the good strikers.
“I’m so happy for Erling, for his goal again and being involved in the short spaces. It was really good.”
