No coach has imparted and influenced the modern game like Pep Guardiola. He is simply phenomenal. A genius.
Perhaps the only person that can be said to be greater than Guardiola is Johann Cruff. As a player, Cruff captained Netherland to two world cup finals in ’74 & ’78 but though lost both to Germany and Argentina respectively. Unarguably one of the best player in his time or generation.
Then as a coach, Cruff was simply unmatchable. He is the inventor of Tiki -Taka which is now made even more popular by coaches like Guardiola who adore him and his philosophy.
The way and manner Man City under Guardiola’s watch dispatched current European champions and the most successful team in Europe, Real Madrid in the 2023 UEFA champions league semi final speaks volume of his tactical ingenuity.
He has simply become a moving train in England that cannot be stopped as he claims the EPL title for a fourth straight time of asking. The much acclaimed competitive EPL is now turning into a one horse race. Guardiola and Man City is fast turning the league into their birthright or personal property.
But the Champions league is where Pep seems to be jinxed even despite getting to the final once before now where they lost to Chelsea in the final. The City owners employed Guardiola to win them the UCL which is the only title they are yet to win.
This season, City is again in the final of the Champions league where they will face Inter Milan and in the hunt for a treble with the EPL title already in the bag and in the final of both the FA cup and UCL.
As it were now, Guardiola can trade other titles for the champions league. That’s how important the title is to City. This is why City will be brutal, determined and too hot to handle when they come up against Inter Milan in the epic final.
What many is hoping is for mother luck to smile on City on the night. But ordinarily they are favourites to win the title this time around. The crown is City’s to lose.
