After taking over as Manchester City’s manager in 2011, Guardiola has had tremendous success. He is currently in his eighth season. The Spaniard has won one FA Cup, four Carabao Cups, and four Premier League championships. He has failed to win the Champions League while managing City, though.
Without the European championship, he has acknowledged that his tenure as the Cityzens’ manager will be unfinished, according to BBC Sport:
“It’s not the only one, but I admit it’s the trophy we want, and my period here will not be complete if we don’t win it.”
City are in the last 16 of the Champions League, where they will face Bundesliga giants RB Leipzig. Guardiola said that he will do his utmost to bring the illustrious trophy to the Etihad as manager:
“I will do everything in the time we have together, but I’d say the same before. It’s the trophy we don’t have, and we’ll try to do it. I have the feeling they’ll get it sooner or later.”
Since Guardiola came control, this may be Manchester City’s greatest chance to win the Champions League.
Erling Haaland was signed by City for £54 million after they humiliatingly lost to eventual champions Real Madrid in the semifinals of the tournament last season.
In just 18 games across competitions this season, the Norwegian has scored an astonishing 23 goals. He strengthens a strong team that has only allowed two goals in six Champions League contests.
Phil Foden of Manchester City on the atmosphere at Elland Road before the Leeds United game
22-year-old Manchester City attacker Phil Foden praised the’scary’ atmosphere at Leeds’ Elland Road stadium.
Last season, the English forward experienced firsthand how stressful and hostilҽ an environment Elland Road can be. With two Foden assists, City racked up a 4-0 victory over Leeds.
Foden expressed his assessment on Elland Road following the victory over the Peacocks, telling Amazon Prime Video:
“It can be scary, definitely.”
He continued:
‘They feel so on top of you, always shouting, throwing paper at me last time, but I enjoy them occasions, playing against big teams like Leeds and the atmosphere they create.”
City make the trip to Leeds again on December 28, with both teams eager to get a win in their first game back following the FIFA World Cup. Guardiola’s side are second in the league and trail leaders Arsenal by five points. Meanwhile, Jesse Marsch’s men are 15th, just a point above the relegation spots.
Haaland reemerges
On April 5, STRIKER Erling Haaland rejoined the Man City club for practice after nearly three weeks of recuperating from a hip injury.
For the first time since suffering an injury in the match against Burnley on March 18, Haaland ran into the practice field with his teammates while grinning in a brief video that was posted on Man City’s official website. The round 30 Premier League match against Southampton on April 8 is expected to feature the 23-year-old striker again. Also, he’ll be ready for the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal matchup versus Bayern at the Etihad Stadium in the middle of next week.
Haaland got a hat-tricƙ when City defeated Burnley 6-0 in the FA Cup quarterfinals, although he had to leave the game due to a groin injury.
The striker was called up to the Norwegian team to get ready for the opening two matches of the Euro 2024 qualifying round, but owing to an injury that hasn’t fully healed, he was sent back to the club.
Haaland continued to remain absent on April 1 when the home team defeated Liverpool 4-1 in the Premier League’s 29th round, but many believed this was just a “tricƙ” by Man City.
Although the strength of Man City didn’t really matter, it was only the second game Haaland had missed in the competition.
Haaland has never suffered a significant injury, but with Dortmund, he has missed six or seven straight games.
As even mild groin injuries can take three weeks or longer to heal, City may not have wanted to take the chance by having him start against Southampton.
Haaland is in the lead in the competition for the Premier League, Champions League, and European Golden Shoe after scoring 42 goals in 37 games across all competitions this season.
With the aim of winning the FA Cup, Premier League, and Champions League triple, Man City is also entering a crucial phase.
They need Haaland to be healthy in the following phase so that they have a higher chance of succeeding.
Lionel Messi, who scored 36 goals in La Liga and 12 goals in the Champions League during the 2018–19 season, is the most recent player to win three individual accolades, including Top Scorer of the National League, Champions League, and Golden Shoe.
No other player has done the same thing outside Eusebio, Messi, and Ronaldo.