Man City and one step ahead of Champions League paradise
"One more time. One more game," striker Erling Haaland said after lifting the FA Cup on June 3.
Fans can clearly see how happy Man City is after beating Man Utd in the final at Wembley. Coach Pep Guardiola used his hands to wipe away tears, the players danced around each other's shoulders and then teased the team's fitness experts. If a win over England's most successful neighbours, means one, the prospect of a treble would be ten.
The score 2-1 against Man Utd seemed close, even the red shirt team hit the crossbar in the second half. But overall, Man City outperformed the opponent in the number of dangerous opportunities as well as the ball retention rate. Right now they look like an invincible team.
Man City players did not enjoy the moment of winning the Premier League for the third time in a row with the fans, because Arsenal lost at Nottingham Forest on May 20 when they had not played. Guardiola's teachers and students lifted the cup a day later, but the feelings at that time were probably not intact. This time it was different, the blue shirt player was able to burst right after the final whistle of the FA Cup final.
Guardiola gave his players two days off after that game, and they didn't think much of the final game either. Midfielder Jack Grealish said that he will definitely "flash" the hottest of the team. "Of course I do, because it's not always possible for me to win the FA Cup," he said.
Today, June 6, Man City returned to training to prepare for the final match at Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey. According to Opta statistics, the chance of winning the Champions League for Man City is up to 74%, nearly three times that of Inter. But to win the championship, they still have to fight really.
"We're in a situation where it'll probably never happen again," Guardiola said of the treble chance. "Man City will practice about three or four more sessions to prepare for the match against Inter. What Man City has done is already great, but people will appreciate the team more if we win the Champions League. And we have to win. next game".
Guardiola often speaks modestly, but it will take a truly formidable opponent to stop Man City in its current form. Is Inter a team like that?
Inter is also considered a "dark horse" in the final, like Man Utd the day before. Many people often predict the outcome in a final to be 50/50. Moreover, Man City has never met Inter in an official match. So in the past two days off, Guardiola spent time reviewing the matches of this opponent. "Because I don't know much about Inter yet," he said.
Man City people have different views about the upcoming final. Midfielder Kevin de Bruyne says that regardless of the outcome in Istanbul, what Man City has done cannot be denied. But Haaland proved more hungry because the team brought him to the Etihad with the goal of winning the Champions League. As for Guardiola, this title will be mandatory because Man City has never dominated the continent.
If they win Inter, Man City will also surpass Chelsea to become the fourth richest club in England, with 26 titles, after Liverpool, Man Utd and Arsenal. Under the reign of bosses from Abu Dhabi, Man City won 16 titles, nearly double the team's achievement over the previous 100 years. But the Champions League has always had the most special meaning for a European club.
Victory is addictive for the current Man City. Excluding the last two matches in the Premier League when they used the reserve team, Man City were unbeaten in the last 23 matches of the season, including 19 victories. When Haaland and De Bruyne fell, other midfielders like Rodri or Ilkay Gundogan exploded in time to bring the team to glory.
Man City was also rated higher than Chelsea in the Champions League final 2021, but they lost 0-1 in that match. This time, Guardiola avoided mentioning the word "triple" to the player. "I haven't had time to say that yet," he said.
But Guardiola's teachers and students all understood that the treble was only one step away from them.
