SM
Arsenal vs. Juventus: 2 hrs 23 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data
MC
Champions League | Semi-Finals | 2nd Leg
May 17, 2023 at 8pm UK
Etihad Stadium
RM

Man City
4 - 0
Real Madrid

Silva (23', 37'), Akanji (76'), Alvarez (90+1')
Dias (50'), Gundogan (62'), Grealish (90+1')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Carvajal (55'), Camavinga (75')

Pep Guardiola: 'Winning the treble will not define exceptional Manchester City legacy'

:Headline: Pep Guardiola: 'Winning the treble will not define exceptional Manchester City legacy':
Pep Guardiola insists that success or failure to win the treble with Manchester City will have no impact on his "exceptional" legacy at the Etihad Stadium.
Sports Mole

Pep Guardiola has insisted that success or failure to win the treble with Manchester City will have no impact on his "exceptional" legacy at the Etihad Stadium ahead of Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg with Real Madrid.

The Catalan boss has almost served seven years in charge of the Citizens and has enjoyed plenty of domestic success, winning four Premier League titles, four EFL Cups, one FA Cup and two Community Shields.

Man City are on the cusp of clinching a third successive top-flight title this term and they also have a FA Cup final to look forward to next month, but European glory still eludes the Citizens who are competing at the semi-final stage of the Champions League for the third consecutive year.

Guardiola, meanwhile, lifted the Champions League for the first time in his managerial career with Barcelona in their treble-winning 2008-09 season, before claiming the top European prize in club football for a second time two years later.

The 52-year-old has not tasted Champions League success since, though, failing to win the trophy during a three-year stint with Bayern Munich and in the first six seasons at Man City – coming closest to glory in 2020-21 when the Citizens lost 1-0 to Chelsea in the final.

Nevertheless, Guardiola is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious managers of the modern era having had a significant influence at the highest level of the beautiful game over the last 15 years.

With treble-chasing Man City entering an important period in their season, Guardiola has insisted that success or failure in the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup will not define his legacy at the Etihad.

Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Tuesday ahead of their semi-final second-leg clash with Real Madrid, Guardiola said: "My legacy is already exceptional! We have been here many times already, we are not stupid to know how important tomorrow is. Maybe the most important since we've been here.

"I say to the players, live it, enjoy the moment. How fortunate we are. It's in our hands, depends on us, we don't have to do anything exceptional. Be ourselves, give everything. I have an incredible feeling about the team. Whatever happens, thank you for bringing us here to be again.

"My legacy: there has been a great generation of players that has been here. My legacy: maybe we could have a book about it one day but you won't be judged on whether we won the Champions League or not.

"The legacy is we had a great time and played great football and the best legacy you can have is you have performed well and played well."

Guardiola added: "After the first season, first I wouldn't expect [the success I have had in] seven years. I have incredible self-confidence but not enough. This league is really tough. How pleased I am, this consistency is always there."

The Man City boss has also reiterated that there was never any pressure from the club's owners to win the Champions League when he arrived in the summer of 2016, but he has acknowledged that he and his players are striving for success in Europe's elite club competition having fallen short in previous years.

"When I arrive here, they didn't say win the Champions League. They said try to do the best as possible," said Guardiola. "We won all the titles except this one. We want it. Losing against Chelsea, [Real] Madrid (in the semi-finals last season), of course we want it. This is what we want, people say we are close, I think we are far away.

"It is a dream come true to come here. Nobody guarantees in the future we'll be here. Once we are there, let's go. Try to go for it, be together in the bad moments, suffer, we play with our people."

A stunning strike from Kevin De Bruyne cancelled out an equally excellent opener from Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior to help the Citizens rescue a 1-1 first-leg draw at the Santiago Bernabeu last week, and a victory at the Etihad on Wednesday would book their place in the final against either Inter Milan or AC Milan.

Guardiola has urged his side to improve on their first-leg performance, adding: "The emotion is there and has to be high, but just this won't beat a team like Madrid. We have to adjust something, do it a little better to create chances for our strikers and people up front to get more balls, transitions, the quality they have in all departments.

"We play in the semi-final of the Champions League and we expect the toughest opponents, this is the challenge, we embrace it and go for it. We arrive really good, we're in the FA Cup final, one game from the Premier League, but we have to play better than Madrid.

"We have to perform well, not just the desire. Relax, only have to do what we have done for many years. This is what we have to do, not just the desire to reach the final. We have to be better than the Bernabeu to get the final."

Man City, who will be without defender Nathan Ake on Wednesday, have lost two of their previous three semi-final ties in the Champions League to Real Madrid, but they boast an impressive 25-game unbeaten home run in the competition, including five victories this season by an aggregate score of 20-2.

body check tags ::

amp_article__513959 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2023-05-16 17:35:27:
html db last update - 2023-05-16 17:35:27 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html
Read more!

Click here for more stories about Pep Guardiola

Click here for more stories about Manchester City

Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Recommended Next on SM
Man City's Ake to miss Real Madrid Champions League tie
"Arsenal have got people in mind" - When could Edu's replacement be hired?
Not again! Chelsea boss Maresca reveals new injury to James ahead of Leicester game
Manchester City planning Josko Gvardiol move?
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City117222213923
3Chelsea115422113819
4Arsenal115421812619
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest115421510519
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton115421915419
7Fulham115331613318
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
9Aston Villa115331717018
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1151523131016
11Brentford115152222016
12Bournemouth114341515015
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Leicester CityLeicester112451421-710
16Everton112451017-710
17Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
18Crystal Palace11146815-77
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves111371627-116
20Southampton11119721-144
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Preview: Everton vs. Brentford - prediction, team news, lineups

1

PE

Preview: Arsenal vs. Nott'm Forest - prediction, team news, lineups

2

PA

Preview: Hearts vs. Celtic - prediction, team news, lineups

NEW

3

PH

Survival blow: Leicester star ruled out for rest of season with horror knee injury

NEW

4

SB

Preview: Leicester vs. Chelsea - prediction, team news, lineups

5

PL

Leicester vs. Chelsea: Head-to-head record and past meetings

6

LV

Man United 'planning stunning swap deal' for Inter's prolific striker Martinez

7

MU

Cooper's attacking crisis: Leicester predicted XI against Chelsea

8

CA

Courtois, Rodrygo, Alaba updates: Real Madrid injury news vs. Leganes

9

CR

James blow, Palmer decision, Lavia to start? Chelsea predicted XI against Leicester

10

JB


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .