It's About Time, City!

In the last four years or so, Manchester City always start the season as one of the hot favourites to win the Premier League and Champions League. While they've won the Premier League in three of the last four, their best run in the Champions League was the heartbreaking loss to Chelsea in the 2021 final at the Estadio do Dragao. Prior to the final, they were knocked out consecutively by Liverpool, Spurs and Lyon in the quarterfinals. Last year, they lost out in the semifinals to Madrid despite holding a 2-0 aggregate lead till the 89th minute of the second leg.

Pep Guardiola is arguably the best manager of the modern era. And what he's done at City with the way he built his team for success has been nothing short of exemplary. The way they've dominated the self acclaimed best league in the world, EPL, has led to the question : why is Guardiola's City yet to win the Champions League?

After dismantling RB Leipzig last night, the man said his defence is to blame for the lack of success in Europe's premier club competition. But, how do you blame a defence that has been the best in at least two of the last four years in the league? When he lost to Chelsea, he was blamed for over-tinkering because he shunned his trusted formula of using a defensive midfielder in favour of a holding midfielder in a bid to gain more control of play. Same was mooted when Spurs booted City out at the quarter final stage.

Will Haaland finally lead this notoriously successful team to a Champions League triumph? I won't bet against him. However, another unsuccessful campaign will lead to more questions than answers. Guardiola hasn't won the tournament since his Barcelona side battered United at Wembley 12 years ago. He's won 7 league titles in that span, despite having a year sabbatical after his Barcelona reign. His success at City will be judged by his success or failure to win the elusive trophy. That's how high the standard he's set!

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