Why Man City can FINALLY go all the way and win the Champions League
Pep Guardiola has unleashed his brutal streak, genius tactical tweaks are giving the team an edge… and they’ve got Erling Haaland! Why Manchester City can FINALLY go all the way and win the Champions League as they look to inflict revenge on Real Madrid
- Man City look like they finally have what it takes to win the Champions League
- Pep Guardiola is laying down the law this season to give his side a tougher side
- He has also made tactical changes with Erling Haaland as dangerous as ever
The golden chalice. The one that got away. The Champions League has eluded Manchester City ever since their rise to power under Sheikh Mansour in 2008.
They come close. The semi-finals in 2016, the final in 2021 and the semis again last year. There have also been gut-wrenching disappointments and heartbreaks along the way too.
No Man City fan will forget how they were torn apart by Lyon in the 2020 quarter-finals after Pep Guardiola decided to play three at the back to match up against the French side – who had finished seventh in Ligue 1 – before falling to a 3-1 defeat.
Nor will they forget when Raheem Sterling netted a dramatic stoppage-time winner against Tottenham in the 2018-19 quarter-finals before it was disallowed by VAR, sending Spurs through.
It somehow feels like all of the anguish and the near misses have culminated to this moment. Man City will likely never get a better chance of winning the Champions League – the one major trophy that escapes them. Guardiola has made a series of blunders in the past, but City look irresistible this season.
Pep Guardiola is desperate to finally guide Manchester City to the Champions League this year
Man City are in top form with the team on track for the treble under their boss this term
Before their 1-1 draw at Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals – which sealed a 4-1 aggregate success – Guardiola’s men had won 10 games in a row. They’re still on course for a Treble of the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
Man City have momentum on their side, with potentially three games standing in their way of the glory they crave – with a rematch against Real Madrid now next up for them on May 9.
Mail Sport looks at five reasons why this could finally be City’s year to put the past behind them and become European champions.
Brutal Pep is stamping his mark
Guardiola has never been a soft touch but this is certainly the year where it looks like he’s taking absolutely no prisoners.
First came his altercation with Joao Cancelo – widely regarded as one of the best full-backs in the world and who was City’s only recognised senior left-back midway through the season.
But Guardiola showed that no player is too valuable if they get in his bad books and after the Portugal star’s performances began to dip – and then as soon as he became engulfed in a rift with his manager over a lack of starts, the Spaniard took action.
Cancelo’s last game for City came on January 14 and didn’t play again before his loan exit to Bayern Munich on February 1. While Cancelo denied reports of a bust-up it is claimed his behaviour was starting to impact his team-mates while coaches felt he wasn’t paying attention in meetings.
Guardiola has got even tougher with his stars this season and has shown he is not afraid to discipline and drop players
He quickly shipped out Joao Cancelo after his displays and attitude started to decline
Guardiola made a swift call to axe him and move him on.
He’s been similarly brutal with his team selection in recent weeks. Kyle Walker has been a stalwart in Guardiola’s tenure at City but the former Barcelona boss showed no hesitation in dropping him from his starting XI to accommodate a change in system.
The England star has been solid for City in recent years but has found himself on the bench for much of the last month.
Phil Foden has also struggled for game time – with his last Premier League start coming on March 11 – as Guardiola begins to favour Jack Grealish.
Tactical tweaks have given City the edge
Switching around the formula and making gambles has often been City’s undoing under Guardiola, but lately his tweaks have paid off and then some.
His switch to a three at the back looked like a might backfire – as it did against Lyon – but instead of springing a surprise for one game, Guardiola has given his team time to adjust to the new system.
He first implemented it for City’s Round of 16 second leg clash against Leipzig last month – and it worked a treat. They went on to win 7-0 and Guardiola hasn’t looked back. He’s used it in every game since.
The Spaniard has switched to a back three and given his players freedom and fluidity
The tweaks have turned City in a real threat in front of goal – with the team unbeaten since Guardiola first implemented the changes
The system relies on John Stones stepping into midfield and covering the wider areas when City are in possession, allowing them to flood the midfield and turn attack into defence quickly.
Erling Haaland has also been given great freedom – being allowed to drop deep into midfield – almost into a ‘free role’ – with Kevin de Bruyne then having the space to push further up the pitch.
The switch-up from Guardiola has turned City into real contenders – and more importantly they are a free-scoring team, which Real Madrid will be wary of. City have scored at least three goals in six of their seven games since switching to a back three.
Real Madrid have looked vulnerable
Los Blancos might be the European masters, but there are chinks in their armour for sure. Madrid find themselves 11 points behind their bitter rivals Barcelona in LaLiga and things have not been all rosy for them this term.
That’s included five draws and five losses – letting in 24 goals. They have the third best defence in LaLiga, with Barcelona conceding just nine times and local rivals Atletico 21 times.
In both legs against Chelsea, Madrid didn’t really have to get out of third gear against a team in disarray and lacking confidence, yet the Blues still managed to craft a handful of great scoring opportunities. City know they will have chances, they just have to take them.
Real Madrid are the kings of this competition but have shown defensive vulnerabilities at times
Madrid have three clean sheets in a row but a recent shock home loss to Villarreal highlighted how it can all fall apart with a slight loss of focus.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men were beaten 3-2 at the Bernabeu this month after twice taking the lead before two late goals saw them finish the game empty-handed.
They have looked particularly vulnerable at full-back in recent games – with Lucas Vasquez and Nacho filling in on the right and left flanks. If the likes of Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva click then they could cause havoc for Real.
A favourable final lies in wait
Should Man City get revenge over Real Madrid – after Ancelotti’s side stunned them by winning last year’s semi final 6-5 on aggregate – they will be strongly backed to lift the trophy in May.
The other semi final will be an all-Italian clash been bitter rivals Inter and AC Milan, who have both been underperforming this season.
The two sides were tipped to challenge for the Serie A title this season but have fallen way behind runaway leaders Napoli – who are 14 points clear at the top. Milan are 22 points behind the Naples outfit and Inter trail by 24 points.
Their current standings shouldn’t mean they are to be underestimated, but it would still represent a huge boost to their chances of emerging victorious in any final if they were to come up against either of the Italian sides instead of a European heavyweight.
AC Milan and Inter Milan lie in wait in the final for the winner of City’s tie against Real Madrid. Both sides are not to be underestimated but they will be huge underdogs
And… they’ve got Haaland!
Need this be explained? City have been performing beyond their means in recent seasons – with Guardiola often being forced to play without a striker after injuries to Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus still not doing enough to warrant a starting spot.
In these situations Guardiola would opt to play the likes of Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez, Kevin de Bruyne or Phil Foden in the false 9 position. Still they would canter to the Premier League title in the last two seasons – but in the Champions League it has proved the difference.
Teams like Real Madrid have edged through in ties thanks to the magic of Karim Benzema and now City have their own magic man.
The presence of Erling Haaland should give City a huge edge in their quest to become European champions
Haaland has been a revelation since moving to the Etihad, continuing his ridiculous goalscoring form with more goals than games this season – 48 in 41 appearances.
He’s the Champions League’s top scorer with 12 – four more than the next best player – and has the most goals of any player in the top five European leagues.
He’s scored in each of his last seven games – and in the Champions League knockouts he’s netted five against Leipzig and two against Bayern. That was after hammering in five during the group stages.
Whenever the Norwegian is on the pitch, City will always be a threat – and as long as he stays fit in and form they have to be the favourites to win the competition.
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