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Pep Guardiola emerged victorious even amidst his past losses, not shying away from acknowledging them – including defeats against Monaco, Liverpool, and Tottenham in the Champions League. With the position of reigning champion and as the leader who elevated Manchester City to new heights, he proved himself resilient.
Pep Guardiola pointed out that when he joined the club, they had a lack of experience in the Champions League. However, they now hold the record for the longest current streak of reaching the quarter-finals, matching the feat of Manchester United over twenty years ago. This impressive run is only surpassed by Real Madrid and Barcelona, who have achieved a streak of thirteen consecutive quarter-final appearances, including four with Guardiola as their coach. While the format of the tournament has changed and domestic champions no longer have exclusive participation, City can still take pride in their consistent performance in the competition.
The newcomers have now solidified their presence. Guardiola disputes that they have fully integrated into the established group – there is a possibility that they may never be fully accepted, if the future sees their expulsion from European competitions due to the 115 charges against them – but currently, they hold the title and are considered top contenders. Guardiola has elevated City’s reputation, in their own perception as well as in the eyes of others. He claims to have done so from a less favorable position compared to his previous team. He has rid City of their feelings of inferiority.
“I sensed the expectations from the fans and the pressure that comes with being compared to top clubs like Barcelona and Bayern Munich. It is essential to always perform at that level, but I didn’t feel that same drive and ambition from the club itself, rather than the players.”
In the past, Manchester City had the funds and drive, but often fell out of European competition earlier than other top teams. For example, Manuel Pellegrini led the team to the semi-finals a few months before Pep Guardiola arrived, but Guardiola’s first season ended in the last 16. Under Roberto Mancini, City experienced two group-stage eliminations, and Pellegrini faced two losses in the first knockout round.
“It is not a challenge for well-established clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, or Manchester United to compete in European competitions due to their strong histories. As for myself, it was not as simple as coming to a new club and being guaranteed success. Time is needed to build a strong team, and my club has given me that time. We are now at a point in our development where we may experience losses, but we have the ability to compete in any competition due to our consistent performances, having made it to finals and semi-finals in the past and now reaching the quarter-finals again.”
Julian Alvarez rejoices after successfully scoring a goal against Copenhagen.
Maintaining consistency may not be seen as the most glamorous accomplishment, as it lacks novelty and can make things feel repetitive. However, City has been able to maintain stability and uniformity in their thought process. Guardiola has often mentioned that he could have been fired by City, but given that they waited to hire him and brought in his supporters Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain to assist and back him, he may be the only one who thinks that way.
However, he also mentioned, “We are currently facing time and personnel constraints, as managers and hierarchies are not allotted enough time. Despite this, we were given time to experience losses against Monaco, Liverpool, and Tottenham, as it is a necessary part of the process. When a team has never been in this position before, this process cannot be rushed.”
At this point, City appears to always maintain this position. Guardiola mentioned that people have started to take it for granted. While this is a positive sign, we are aware that it is not easy. This is the mentality I want everyone within my club to have – from the top management to the staff and players – that everything is complex.
Some may disagree. Maybe winning against FC Copenhagen 3-1 in one game and 6-2 overall, despite having a lower budget than any team in the Premier League, was not the right moment to make the argument: “This tournament is very unpredictable and risky.” This match did not feel dangerous at all and his statement of being amazed every time City advances from the group stages must be considered against their easy progress from easily winnable groups.
The positive statement did not come from Guardiola, but rather from the defeated manager. Jacob Neestrup of FC Copenhagen stated, “They will emerge victorious.” He then pointed out the strategies behind their potential triumph, stating, “They put in a tremendous amount of effort.”
Knockout matches have a built-in danger. This is why City was often praised as the top team in Europe even without winning any trophies- they were at risk of losing after 90, 180, or 210 minutes, potentially due to away goals or controversy. While City may make it to the final eight with ease, things can become complicated thereafter.
Source: independent.co.uk
