Pep Guardiola and Manchester City on a mission to exorcise UEFA Champions League ghosts
All the major leagues in Europe have concluded but there’s one more fixture, the UEFA Champions League final, left to officially bring down the curtains on the 2020-21 European football season.
On Saturday, Manchester City and Chelsea will lock horns in the final of the UEFA Champions League at the Estadio do Dragao in Porto, Portugal.
It is likely that we could have a new name on the trophy if Manchester City win, but Chelsea could also be making it two Champions League titles if they emerge victorious.
While this is City’s first European final, Pep Guardiola’s side are favorites for the game. The Cityzens have enjoyed an amazing campaign and have the chance to win their third trophy this season.
Manchester City on a mission to win first UEFA Champions League title
The club has invested a lot to arrive at this moment. When Sheikh Mansour assumed ownership over a decade ago, the dream was to make City as competitive as possible.
In the last 12 years, the Cityzens have moved from a side that just competes to one that perennially wins trophies. And now, they are even on the verge of becoming European champions.
Having dominated the Premier League and won more titles than any other English side in the last decade, this is the right time for City to make their mark in Europe.
In Guardiola, they have the perfect manager with the exact kind of pedigree needed for such a task. The Spaniard won the Champions League twice with Barcelona and is equally motivated to win it with City, too.
Guardiola aims to banish Champions League ghosts
One of the baggages that Guardiola has been forced to carry around is his inability to win the Champions League with a club apart from Barcelona or without Lionel Messi.
Some have used this to try to downplay his impressive résumé as a manager. Guardiola has often insisted that he’s unperturbed by such talk but the truth is that it still plays on his mind.
That is why in the last couple of seasons, he usually finds himself overthinking his tactics and team selection when he should just be playing his normal game.
That has been the bane of his teams in the past, especially in the Champions League, and he will be aiming to finally exorcize the ghosts of his near-misses.
“I know exactly the way we want to play, with who we're going to play and I'm not going to bother them much,” the City boss said ahead of the final, as quoted by Goal.
“I know exactly what I'm going to tell them. The guys who are anxious and nervous, I will tell them it's normal. They have to handle that.
“It's an incredible experience to be here, I never expected when I start my career to play even one final. We are so lucky.”
Guardiola and City have clearly been the best team in England over the last five years. Now, though, they need to prove their mettle on the continent by becoming European champions.