"Someone will still spin it as genius" - Former Liverpool striker attacks Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola for UCL failures despite spending 'billions'
Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore has slammed Pep Guardiola for his Champions League failures with Manchester City despite spending "billions."
The Spaniard fell short yet again after Real Madrid staged a comeback to win 3-1 in the second leg and set up a final against Liverpool. Guardiola's team came into the Santiago Bernabeu with a 4-3 advantage from a pulsating win in the first leg and even led by 1-0 in the return in the dying moments of second leg.
However, a quickfire brace from Rodrygo in the closing stages forced extra-time, where Karim Benzema completed the turnaround after clinically dispatching a penalty.
Having finished as the runners-up last year, the Sky Blues were touted to reach their second European final in a row, but paid a heavy price for losing control of yesterday's match.
11 years since Guardiola won the Champions League despite having spent billions.
Clough, 2 in 12 months.
Paisley 3 in 4 years.
Zidane. 3 in 3 years.
Klopp. Chance for 2 in 3 years.
An almost impossibly bad record for the spend. But hey, someone will still spin it as genius.
Guardiola, now in his sixth season at the club, is yet to deliver them a Champions League title, a silverware he last won in 2011 with Barcelona.
What's even more damning is that he's been unsuccessful despite spending heavily behind player recruitment. It is estimated that City have splurged almost a staggering amount of £1 billion under the Spaniard, only to come away with zero Champions League titles.
Following City's latest disappointment, Collymore took to social media to take a dig at the Catalan, comparing his Champions League record to some other managers.
The 51-year-old wrote:
"11 years since Guardiola won the Champions League despite having spent billions. Clough, 2 in 12 months. Paisley 3 in 4 years. Zidane. 3 in 3 years. Klopp. Chance for 2 in 3 years. An almost impossibly bad record for the spend. But hey, someone will still spin it as genius."
Guardiola has won 10 trophies with Manchester City so far, including three league titles, with another one possibly on the way, but his failures in Europe stick out like a sore thumb.
Manchester City manager struggling without Messi?
Guardiola has won two Champions League titles - both with Barcelona, where Lionel Messi was at the peak of his powers.
Pep Guardiola has still never won a Champions League without Lionel Messi. https://t.co/Jiv11o2jJa
Since leaving the Camp Nou, though, he has endured a drought, and it's now been 11 years since he last got his mitts to the pot.
In fact, after last winning the competition in 2011, the Spaniard reached the final just once - last year when Manchester City lost 1-0 to Chelsea.
His repeated failures have raised questions about his ability to deliver the Champions League without Messi.