Pep Guardiola faces career-defining Champions League final in bid to end drought
The pressure and expectation levels have been building for 12 years.
Pep Guardiola has won the Champions League trophy twice in his managerial career - in 2009 and 2011 - while in charge of Barcelona.
And the wait feels far too long for a manager of his stature and quality - especially when he is in charge of Manchester City.
Delivering European football’s biggest prize was why City appointed Guardiola and each near miss has been more painful.
Guardiola, who lost three semi-finals in a row with Bayern Munich, was a beaten semi-finalist with City last year, they lost in the final to Chelsea two years ago and that is exactly why they will not be taking Inter Milan for granted.
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But equally, defeat is unthinkable. Despite winning 11 major trophies - including five Premier League titles - in six seasons at City, his legacy will be defined by this final.
City are 90 minutes away from the Treble. They may never get the chance again to emulate Manchester United ’s Treble of 1999. These opportunities come along once in a career.
But, tellingly, the T word was not even a talking point on the eve of the final. There were no questions about it in the pre-match press conference in the Ataturk Stadium. Not one.
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Guardiola had to console City's stars after last season's Champions League loss at Real Madrid (DeFodi Images via Getty Images)The Champions League is the only thing that matters. This is judgement day for Guardiola - and he knows it.
Guardiola, just like his midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, admitted the trophy was both a dream and an obsession.
“It is absolutely a dream, yeah, absolutely,” said Guardiola. “To achieve things you have to have the correct portion of obsession and desire, it’s a positive word, willingness to try to do it, of course.
“I’m pretty sure what we planned was to have success and a good game against Chelsea two years ago, it didn’t work, people say decisions were wrong.
“We have a plan and idea, I’ll communicate it to the players. If we win it will be good. I’ve a feeling we are ready."
Guardiola has had multiple near misses for City in the Champions League (Getty Images)It is hard to remember a Champions League final where one team has been such overwhelming favourites. But that only sets up the final even more and adds to the pressure.
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Inter are supremely coached by Simone Inzaghi who has built a strong united team, a resolute defence with quality and experience in attack.
They got through a group with Bayern Munich and Barcelona. They overwhelmed Milan in the semi-final. They are exceptionally well organised. But still City are expected to win. And win comfortably.
Guardiola added: “Inter are not just used to defending. There is a theory that Italian teams are just about defending.
“But they never get nervous, the way they build up from the back and bring the ball out. They are very dangerous and have good forwards.
Guardiola's City were edged out by Chelsea in the 2021 Champions League final (Getty Images)“I don’t control the people’s opinions; I just focus on what we have to do. I saw their games and we try to do our game. everything finishes with a game and the team who performs best over 95 minutes will win.
“Inter is bigger than us, in terms of history but what’s important is 10pm Istanbul time do the best performance possible and that can make the difference.”
But Guardiola knows that ultimately this final is about him and getting City over the line this time. Delivering the Holy Grail. Even if he did his level best to make it clear his success has always been about his players.
When asked what is his secret of success, Guardiola said: “I had Lionel Messi at Barcelona, now we have Erling Haaland. No manager has ever scored a winning goal.
“Every manager’s success in the past and in the future is about the players and having strong foundations.”
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