Pep Guardiola stated that the greatest memory of his time at Manchester City would be the outstanding football his team played, rather than the number of titles they won.
The Manchester City coach believes that the mesmerizing football his team played would be remembered more than whether or not they win the Champions League. City are on the verge of winning their fifth Premier League title in seven years under Guardiola, and they face Manchester United in the FA Cup final. Following last week’s result, their Champions League semi-final match with Real Madrid is likewise delicately balanced.Following last week’s 1-1 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu, their Champions League semi-final tie with Real Madrid is likewise tightly balanced.
“My legacy is already exceptional already,” Guardiola told a press conference before the second leg. “The legacy is that we have had one hell of a time here for many years. And the legacy is that the fans will remember that we scored many goals, that we conceded very few, and that we won a lot of trophies. In these last few years I’ve had a blast. It’s like a good book. And perhaps in Europe people have not noticed, but here we’ve had a great time. That’s the legacy.”
Despite bringing City to dominance in English football in recent years, many believe Guardiola’s job in England will not be complete until he leads City to Champions League glory. His team was defeated by Chelsea in the 2021 final and lost to Real Madrid in agonizing circumstances last season. In prior years, they were eliminated by Monaco, Lyon, and Tottenham. Guardiola has made significant mistakes in the past, such as not fielding any holding midfielders against Chelsea and starting the inexperienced Eric Garcia in a back three against Lyon.Guardiola made a joke about his reputation for making sudden tactical changes in crucial Champions League games. “Hopefully you can see tomorrow, but it will be nothing special, I’m not overthinking tomorrow, don’t worry guys,” he continued. “Nothing has changed from what we’ve done; we’re just more fluid and play a little better.”
After facing Real Madrid on Wednesday, City will play Chelsea for the Premier League title.
