Pep Guardiola, one of the youngest football coaches, has two Champions League titles under his belt, both won during his tenure at Barcelona. His ability to lift the most coveted trophy in domestic football was the prime reason Manchester City’s owners appointed him as their manager in 2016.
Yet, despite dominating domestically, the elusive Champions League trophy continues to evade him. Last season, Manchester City came incredibly close to reaching the final, but Real Madrid rose from the ashes and snatched victory away.
Pep’s lack of a killer instinct in Europe has been a criticism he’s faced recently, but he’s answered by bringing in a young Norwegian striker, Erling Haaland, who’s on course to smash every English goalscoring record in his first season in the division.
If the quarter-final against Bayern Munich is any indication, Manchester City could easily cruise past Real Madrid. Pep Guardiola will be incredibly driven to put his demons to rest and win his third Champions League title. Strengthening with Haaland will be the final piece of the puzzle for him to achieve this feat.
Many analysts view the game against Real Madrid as the final, and whoever wins it will likely go on to win the competition. The stakes are high, and the excitement is palpable. The Milan Derby awaits the winner, and Carlo Ancelotti, the only manager to win four European Cups, will be keen to lift his fifth.
We fancy Manchester City to beat Real Madrid this time and finally claim the Champions League crown. If they do, it will be their first in history, and Guardiola will feel like his work is complete at Manchester City. The world will be watching with bated breath as the quest for glory begins.
Manchester City face Arsenal on the 26th of April in a top of the table battle.
