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Pep Guardiola looks to solve his frustrating Champions League puzzle

City hosts Real Madrid in the second leg of its Champions League semifinal on Wednesday with the tie delicately poised at 1-1

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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is looking to win his first Champions League title as manager since 2011. — Reuters

By AFP

Published: Tue 16 May 2023, 7:12 PM

Pep Guardiola says his legacy as Manchester City boss is already "exceptional" as the English champion aims to finally turn its domestic dominance into European glory.

City hosts Real Madrid in the second leg of its Champions League semifinal on Wednesday with the tie delicately poised at 1-1.

Victory over the Spanish giants would put Guardiola's men in prime position to become just the second side ever to win the treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup in the same season.

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City needs just one win from their final three Premier League games to guarantee a fifth title in six seasons under Guardiola but they have never been crowned European champion.

They may never have a better chance as the winner of their clash with Madrid will be strong favourites to beat either AC Milan or Inter Milan in next month's final in Istanbul.

"My legacy, our legacy is exceptional already," Guardiola said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

"We are not stupid (not) to know how important is tomorrow's game. It's one of the most important since we are together here.

"We cannot deny that, for the competition, for the rival, for many things. I said to the players 'live it like a huge opportunity, enjoy the moment'.

"How fortunate we are. We are incredibly lucky to be here. It's in our hands, it depends on us, we don't have to do something exceptional, just be ourselves and win one game to reach a final."

City's dreams were shattered by a stunning late Madrid fightback when the sides met in last season's semifinal.

But this time Guardiola's men crucially have home advantage in the second leg and boast a formidable record at the Etihad.

City has not lost at home in the Champions League for five years and has won all 14 games on home soil in 2023.

"It's a dream come true to be here," added Guardiola, who twice won the competition as Barcelona coach.

"We arrive really good for the fact we are in the FA Cup final, one game away to win the Premier League and semifinal of the Champions League, but at the same time we have to play much better than the Madrid (away) game."

City meets Manchester United -- the only side to have completed the treble -- in the FA Cup final at Wembley on June 3.

As influential as Guardiola has been during his seven years in charge, the transformation in City's fortunes came long before the Catalan's arrival, when the club was taken over by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice-President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Presidential Affairs of the UAE, in 2008.

Billions of pounds have been poured in on and off the pitch to make City the dominant force in English football.

Defender Kyle Walker said the players owe it to the club's owners to deliver the Champions League title.

"The club is missing that one," said the England international, whose head-to-head with Madrid star Vincius Junior will be one of the key tussles in the second leg.

"For the owners, the amount of money they've pumped into this club, we owe that to them. We owe it to ourselves as well."

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AFP

Published: Tue 16 May 2023, 7:12 PM

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