11 April 2023 , 12:05
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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is gearing up to take on his former side Bayern Munich for the first leg of what promises to be a thrilling round-of-16 Champions League tie.
The reigning Premier League champions have enjoyed such emphatic dominance over domestic proceedings since Guardiola took the reins, but European club football's most prestigious trophy remains the one that continues to elude them. He will be out to change that once again, with his old outfit the first to stand in his way in the knockout rounds.
In many ways, it is fitting that Guardiola meets the Bundesliga giants in the Champions League, as the tournament remains a cloud over his Bayern reign. While in the hot seat at the Allianz Arena, the former Barcelona boss won three league titles, two DFB-Pokal's, one super cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
And yet, his reign is still ridiculed for the fact he failed to do what many feel he was brought in to do - win Bayern the Champions League.
With that being said, the lack of European honours were not the only thing that blighted Guardiola's time in Munich. There was also his controversial parting rant, in which he took aim at an unidentified figure within the club who was leaking inside information to the media.
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"Usually what happens inside the dressing room remains inside the dressing room," Guardiola jibed in 2016.
"Whoever has spoken has done it to hit me. But I’m not here next season anyway so it’s not my problem, but Bayern’s. It’s happened plenty of times over these past three years.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Will Guardiola get the better of Bayern? Comment below
Pep Guardiola lost his cool in a press conference at the tail-end of his time as Bayern Munich manager"It’s normal for me to talk to my players and staff and give them my opinion, but there are people here who are talking because they want to hurt me.
"Maybe this person will still be here next season and clearly they haven’t realised that they are not damaging me, but the club and the team. I won’t be here, so it’s the club’s problem."
Guardiola, a man usually typically calm and composed when dealing with the press, had shown that he was fed up with life at Bayern.
The tail-end of his time at the club was marred by reports of bust-ups with the club's medical team over their failure to get key players back to full fitness in the time Guardiola desired.
Mix this outburst with the frustration of three successive Champions League eliminations and it was best for both parties Guardiola swapped Munich for Manchester when he did.
Seven years later, Guardiola has the chance to inflict revenge on a Bayern side now led by ex-Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel when City welcome them to the Etihad on Tuesday night.
So much focus has been on the race for another league title, but this trophy is the one City want more than any other.
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