Man City's season starts here, 16 games away from a possible treble
Manchester City’s season starts HERE: With 16 games from treble glory and Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern Munich in town on Tuesday night, the serious stuff begins now for Pep Guardiola and his star-studded squad
- Manchester City begin a run of up to 16 games on their way to a possible treble
- They host Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarters
- Ruben Dias is confident the squad are ready to fight hard on all three fronts
‘A very wise man once said to me,’ Ruben Dias starts. This is bound to be good. ‘He said to me that we didn’t lose the final, we just got one step closer.’
Dias would not divulge who the identity of the wise man, so we are left to assume that it was not in fact a higher power or the Manchester City defender reciting a leadership book designed for middle management.
Whoever it may have been – dad, agent, boss – it is a point that will hold resonance within the City squad. They have to use the experiences of losing the 2021 Champions League final, against a Chelsea team coached by the man they host tonight, and last year’s late semi-final capitulation at Real Madrid.
It’d be strange if they didn’t and until this club do lift the one title to have so far eluded them, these big nights all have a Groundhog Day feel to them. Everyone is simply waiting for them to do it. ‘If there was a moment of doubt, I listened to these words and it made more sense,’ Dias added. ‘They echoed in my mind.’
City’s season effectively starts tonight, with the behemoth of Bayern Munich in town and the subplot of an awkward reunion with on-loan Joao Cancelo. Dias and Pep Guardiola both spoke of how they relish this stage of a campaign, talked up the achievement of still fighting on three fronts when the flowers are handed out. There is a maximum of 16 matches left, with City performing at a higher level now than they have done all year. A treble is achievable, albeit unlikely. History is there to be grasped regardless.
Ruben Dias claims Manchester City are ‘ready’ for the fight to win three trophies this season
They begin a run of sixteen possible games to decide their campaign with Bayern Munich
‘Our team is fed by these moments and that is a very good characteristic to have,’ Dias said. ‘One thing is for sure: when we arrive to this stage we are ready. I can guarantee we are here and will fight for everything.’
That is not up for debate and City, in a sixth consecutive quarter-final – the longest run across the continent – are just missing that last bit of stardust. Or luck. Or both.
Bayern, with Thomas Tuchel, will offer a proper examination over the next eight days. Guardiola – ‘surprised’ by Julian Nagelsmann’s recent sacking – is wary of Tuchel, who beat him three times in a matter of weeks two years ago. That, of course, included besting him in that Porto final, when City just did not show up.
The German’s record against Guardiola is decent, although he was tactically outsmarted at Stamford Bridge last season when City deployed Bernardo Silva as a holding midfielder for the very first time. Of those who have faced Tuchel at least five times, only Felix Magath – he of Fulham infamy – and ex-Cologne boss Peter Stoger have restricted Tuchel teams to fewer goals per 90 minutes than Guardiola.
The two first met in Germany, pepper pots and saltshakers flung around a dining table during a meal as they traded tactical ideas after Tuchel had impressed at Mainz. Guardiola is generous with his time to young coaches – until they become adversaries battling for the same silverware, and that is certainly true of this relationship.
Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern will be a formidable test for Man City in Tuesday’s quarter-final
Tuchel believes his side, including Kingsley Coman and Dayot Upamecano, are underdogs
They twice spent evenings together in Munich, with Guardiola suggesting that Tuchel ought to replace him at Bayern, and the conversation was said to rattle on at lightning speed. Very few can keep up with Guardiola but Tuchel managed with ease. It was also one of Mikel Arteta’s great strengths while assistant at the Etihad Stadium.
‘I’m not a fanboy,’ Tuchel said. ‘I was very grateful for him sharing his thoughts and ideas with me. It is not something to be taken for granted. As a coach I wasn’t a big name. For me it was a great opportunity.’
While fielding a persistent inquisition on how they could possibly stop Erling Haaland, Matthijs de Ligt labelled City as the strongest team left in the competition. Tuchel, meanwhile, struggled to sleep yesterday, complaining of motoring thoughts about this contest. He instead chose to head into the Sabener Strasse training ground in the early hours.
‘Maybe we are playing as a slight underdog, which is not a problem,’ Tuchel added. ‘We’re not doing any philosophy lessons. We’re not guessing what Pep is thinking about. We’ve analysed City’s last four weeks and they are the current gold standard, it’s a major task in front of us.’
On Monday night, Bayern did not want anybody remembering their immense pedigree and incredible squad. There felt a touch of kidology about the whole thing.
Pep Guardiola said that losses are common in sport, as his side aim for an unlikely treble
Tuchel tossed and turned. Meanwhile Guardiola, who spent Sunday simultaneously studying the opposition and watching fellow countryman Jon Rahm’s charge to a green jacket, appears to see ghosts everywhere these days, pre-empting questions about perceived ‘failure’.
‘How many Masters has Jack Nicklaus played or majors has he played in his career?’ Guardiola asked. In 30-40 years as a golfer, four majors [a year]. How many wins out of 130? Eighteen wins out of 130. Wow. He loses more than he wins. That is sport. In football, in golf, in basketball, Michael Jordan the best athlete for me in basketball, won six NBA titles out of 16 years. He loses more than he wins.
‘What is important is to be here, compete well, do our best, knowing that we have to be perfect to try to get a good result to go to Germany. No more than that. I live my profession that way. After that if I lose, I lose. I’m not perfect.’
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